How Not to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse
by cade sucks
Summary: The world did not end with a bang, or a whisper. But rather one scream at a time. The group of young adults that lived in the small secure house at the end of an abandoned dirt road knew this all too well. For they had heard many of their friends screams and been able to do nothing but show mercy by killing them before they turned. Turned into what you might ask? Well there are man
1. How Not to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse

The world did not end with a bang, or a whisper. But rather one scream at a time. The group of young adults that lived in the small secure house at the end of an abandoned dirt road knew this all too well. For they had heard many of their friends screams and been able to do nothing but show mercy by killing them before they turned. Turned into what you might ask? Well there are many names for the brain eating undead that terrorize this world. Abominations, cannibal corpses, creepy crawlies, dead heads, ghouls, meat bags, roamers, demons, walkers, but most commonly known as zombies.

Which is what the youngest of the group had been attacked by only hours ago.

"She has to die." Cartman's voice was shaky yet stern as he spoke the words, his gaze not leaving the boy across from him's death glare.

"If you lay a hand on my sister you'll be the one who dies tonight."

Kenny growled at the light haired man, his eyes set aflame.

"Kenny, it hurts but we can't just let her turn."

Kyle argued with a broken voice, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"She's just a kid." He glared at each of the four survivors staring him down, panic in his eyes. "She hasn't even had a chance to live yet!"

His knees buckled from under him and he fell to the ground with a loud sob.

"I can't lose her!"

Kyle, Cartman, Stan and Butters watched with tears in their eyes as Kenny broke down. The most lively of the group was now reduced to a whimpering mess on the hard wood floor of their small house.

"Kenny..."

Butter's voice was gentle as he bent down next to his best friend, hesitantly resting a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not fair. I know..." he paused, wiping the tears from his face and taking a deep trembling breath before continuing.

"...But it's also not fair to let her suffer, she deserves a death as peaceful as it can come in this world." Kenny turned to glare at the blonde haired man next to him, spite clear in his eyes. Butters pulled his hand away, surprised at the sight.

"She deserves to grow old. Not to be shot in the head." Kenny snarled at Butters and he stood up, backing away from the man he had been sharing a drink with only a day ago.

"Kenny..." a soft young voice broke the tension in the room and the group of survivors turned to see a small girl with long messy hair standing in the hallway. The medical wrap they had used to cover the bite on her neck was now drenched in blood.

"Karen..." Kenny whispered his sister's name as he quickly wiped his tears.

"I can't sleep, my neck hurts. Will you come tell me a story?" Her small voice was the only sound in the whole room. Kenny put on a fake smile before turning to look at her from his spot on the floor.

"Yeah, of course."

He glared at the older kids in the room and took a shaky breath before getting up from his knees.

"Goodnight."

Karen yawned with a wave, before Kenny took her hand and led her back down the short hallway.

Butters felt his bottom lip start to quiver and he captured it between his teeth.

"It had to be done."

Cartman's voice boomed in the silent room and Butters glared from the corner of his eyes. Cartman's jaw was tightened, though he was the only one in the room without tears in their eyes.

After four years of watching the ball of hope grow.

After listening to her wonderful stories. After she'd given each of them drawings and sang them songs when they were sad.

After everything they'd done to make sure she felt loved and protected.

This was it.

Tonight was the last night of Karen's short life.

Everyone was still, the shock of what was about to happen fresh in their minds.

Kyle finally wiped the tears from his face and took a deep breath. He took an uncertain step towards the hallway, everyone turned to watch.

"Kyle, I don't think it's a good idea for you to go down there."

Stan's voice was unsteady as he spoke the warning, but the red head had already made his decision. Following Kenny and Karen to the end of the hall.

He leaned against the wall next to the door and listened to the last words Karen would ever hear.

"Ok, what kind of story do you want to hear?"

"One with a happy ending" Kenny sniffled before chuckling lightly at her request.

"uhm..." He thought for a second,

"Ok, I got one."

Kyle smiled through his tears at his fake enthusiasm before peeking around the corner, watching Kenny play with Karen's hand as he told the story.

"Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess from Colorado-"

"That's where we're from!" She stated happily.

"Yeah, well, this princess was the bravest little girl in the world! She fought off dragons and monsters with ease." He took a deep shaky breath.

"But her older brother was frustrated, he thought the castle rules were stupid. He wanted to get away from all of the people in the kingdom." he paused, trying to stop himself from crying.

"An-and one day her brother talked her into leaving the kingdom. He talked about running away forever, never turning back. Of course the princess knew he didn't really mean it. He never did."

He sniffled

"Anyways, they left the safety of the kingdom. They walked for days when suddenly they came face to face with the biggest dragon either of them had ever faced-"

Karen gasped,

"Oh no!" She whispered sweetly.

"Her older brother reached for his sword but before he could even grab the handle the princess lifted a hand. With a beautiful blue glow and a spell from her lips the evil dragon fell to the ground with a bang."

"Then what happened?" Karen asked, her eyes wide with wonder. Kenny cleared his throat,

"Well, they went back to the castle. The brother decided to be a knight and the princess became queen and they lived there lives in peace. They went to sleep every night with full bellies and clean sheets and it was perfect."

"That is a good ending."

"I think so too."

Kenny smiled, trying his hardest not to brake down again.

Kyle watched as Kenny laid on the bed next to younger sister, holding onto her for dear life, his lips resting on her forehead.

"I love you Karen,"

"I love you too Kenny,"

He petted her hair and kissed her forehead holding that position for what felt like forever.

"I love you Karen..." He repeated when she finally fell asleep, sweet, light snores escaping her lips.

"I love you so much. Please- Please forgive me," He cried, his tears soaking the fragile little girls light hair.

He slowly reached for the wrap around her neck and gently pulled it away, covering his sob with his hand as the bite was uncovered. It had gotten worse, much worse, in only the span of 13 hours. Not only was it still bleeding but pus was oozing from it, the veins surrounding it had turned from purple to a deep red.

This was his fault.

He had killed his baby sister. All because he couldn't confront his problems.

"I'm so sorry I did this to you." He whined quietly, shakily pulling out the gun he had hidden under his pillow.

"I have to do this for you, so you don't feel anymore pain. I promise you'll go to a better place." He breathed heavily, laying the gun next to Karen's temple.

Kyle turned away, unable to handle what was to happen next.

"I love you..." kenny whispered.

Then there came the bang.

The gun was shot causing the crying boy to jump as he quickly walked away from the room.

The bunker was unusually silent.

There was no arguing yells coming from the kitchen. No hysterical laughing coming from the living room.

No.

Kenny's loud cries of agonizing grief was the only sound in the small house they called their own.

Kyle quickly walked to his and Stan's room, slamming the door shut behind himself. He threw his green hat to the floor before falling to the ground with a sob. Stan laid on the bed, eyes closed and headphones on full blast. An empty bottle of jack laid open in his hand, passed out and unaware of his boyfriend breaking down only 5 feet away from him.

Kyle ran a wobbly hand through his oily red hair, his fingers gripping onto the curls as he rocked back and forth.

This wasn't right.

They were just kids, they weren't prepared to be thrusted into the world they now lived in. They were suppose to be going to college. Worrying about what taxes was and how to pay it. Partying with their friends and celebrating each holiday. Instead they were fighting for their lives. Killing or searching for their family and friends. Struggling to find things they had always taken for granted like toilet paper and toothpaste.

Karen didn't deserve to die.

Kenny didn't deserve to lose his only family member.

They shouldn't have to watch their small group of now only five get picked off one by one.

"Kyle?"

Stan's raw voice filled the room. He quickly looked up, his wet eyes wide.

"what're you doing on the floor?"

Kyle didn't answer his question and instead crawled onto the bed, grabbing Stan's arms and wrapping them around himself. Stan's gentle blue eyes met kyle's and he lifted his hands, cradling the red heads face as he wiped his tears.

"Why did this have to happen?" He whispered, his face stained with tears.

"I don't know Kyle... maybe god just got tired of all the bullshit," He answered with an exhausted sigh before snuggling closer to the weeping boy. Kyle squeezed his eyes shut and gripped his T-shirt tightly in attempt to stop his hands from shaking.

Kyle woke up to the click of the door closing, his eyes squinting as the sun blinded him from the window. He lazily sat up, reaching his arms far above his head with a satisfying pop. Their blankets were thrown to the side, the freezing January air causing him to shiver.

He slipped his feet off the bed, his bare toes touching the cold wooden floor as he made his way to the door.

Kyle rubbed his hands together in attempt to heat them up. Yelling from the kitchen alerted him and he stopped at the end of the hall to listen.

"She's dead because of you." Kyle heard Stan declare, venom in his voice.

"I didn't force Kenny to get up in the middle of the night and leave like he did."

"You're right." Stan stated calmly. "It is his fault. He decided to leave and that was his choice." He took a threatening step closer to Cartman. "But you were the one on guard that night." Stan pushed a finger roughly into Cartman's chest. "You should've been there to stop him. You weren't. Karen's death is your burden to carry too."

Cartman's jaw tightened as he looked down at the finger pointed at his chest and back up to Stan's threatening glare with a growl.

Kyle decided to intervene before one of the two threw a punch.

"Good morning."

He smiled light heartedly at the two men, the tension slowly lifting from the room as they turned away from each other.

"Get dressed, we're going out for a supply run."

Cartman stated in a sour voice, leaving the kitchen with heavy steps. Stan rolled his eyes with a scoff, turning to Kyle with a grumble.

"You don't have to be so rude to him, yah know?"

Kyle remarked as he climbed onto the counter and opened a cabinet, pulling out one of the last cans standing.

"What? You're on his side?"

Stan fumed at the short boy who now sat down and popped open the tuna can.

He sighed, pulling a spoon from the sink next to him.

"I don't take sides, Stan." Kyle mixed the canned fish with his silverware.

"I just don't think the blame should be put on anyone. This is the apocalypse and we're all just trying to do what we think will keep us alive."

He finished before shoveling spoonfuls of tuna into his mouth. Stan moved closer to Kyle, leaning a hand against the counter on either side of his legs.

"You and me both know Karen didn't have to die. This was Kenny and Cartman's fault and they need to learn from their actions so they don't get another one of us kil-"

Stan was cut off as his boyfriend shoved the spoon into his mouth.

"You're getting worked up again."

He pulled the now empty spoon from his mouth and set it to the side along with the almost empty can. He lifted his hands and settled them gently on either side of Stan's long face. The bags under his eyes had grown immensely, reaching down to his cheek bones with a deep purple.

"Everything's going to be okay."

Stan scoffed at that. How could everything possibly be okay? Everyone was in danger all the time. There were an endless number of ways everyone in their small group could die.

They could go on a supply run and get cornered.

The electric fence surrounding the house could go out and they could all get eaten in their sleep.

They could run out of ammo.

They could get sick.

They could starve to death.

Get hit by a stray bullet.

Trip while running away.

Not run fast enough.

They could-

"Stan."

Kyle's soft voice pulled him out of his panic. He hadn't even realized he had began to hyperventilate, his hands gripping the counter tighter.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't be, we're all scared. No matter how long we live in this world, that fear will never go away."

He leaned forward and gently pressing their lips together, the taste of alcohol hitting his mouth. Stan pulled away.

"I'm going to get ready for the supply run."

Kyle nodded, biting his lip as the dark haired man turned away from him and left the kitchen.

Butters stared at the closed door in front of him nervously. His fists clenched and unclenched as he debated. Kenny was so hard to read sometimes, it was hard to tell if he needed comfort or if he needed to be alone. The door in front of him gave no hint as to which was the right choice this time. Butter closed his eyes and took a deep breath, turning the door knob before he could change his mind.

The door squeaked loudly, Butters was sure Kenny had to of heard him come in but the man on the bed made no effort of acknowledging him. The odor had worsened over night, the smell of rotting flesh filling the small room. Kenny was still, his body wrapped tightly around the source of the smell.

He didn't dare get too close to the grieving man, stopping a couple feet from the bed and waiting. Waiting for what? He wasn't really sure. A response, maybe? Acknowledgment? When a couple silent minutes past, Butters cleared his throat.

"Hey Ken..."

He was met with silence.

"I.. I just wanted to check on you."

He had no idea where he was going with this.

"I, uh... I want to help you but I... I really don't know what to do..."

A small whimper alerted Butters and he took a step closer.

"Do you need something? I mean, if you need to be alone I completely understand, but I just thought that maybe you would want som-"

"I just want to be alone."

He backed away.

"I'm sorry... I understand."

He began to leave,

"Butters."

He froze, his hand mid-way to the door knob.

"Will you help me bury her?"

His voice was horse and scratchy, a sniffle following his words.

"Of course."

Without another word he left the room.

Butters rested his head against the door with a sad sigh, his eyebrows knitted tight.

He could've prevented this from happening. He had confessed in the spur of the moment and it was too much. After everything that had happened, all the stress Kenny was under, it was too much. He should've kept his mouth shut and he never would've left.

Karen would still be alive.

"Let's go, we don't have all day. It's already noon."

Cartman stomped past him, pulling his red jacket over his shoulders.

"You're a dick! You know that!?"

Butters didn't think about the words as he yelled them, his anger bubbling over all at once.

"Karen was a part of this family and you don't even care that she's dead. All you care about is yourself!"

Cartman paused in the middle of the hallway, his back turned to Butters. He sighed as he looked to the floor beneath his boots.

"Is... Is Kenny alright?... I mean..." He started, his voice going soft. He finally turned to face the petite boy behind him. "He's not going to kill himself, right?"

"Like you care." Butters scoffed, his blue eyes refusing to meet Cartman's wide brown ones.

"Fine. Think what you want."

Cartman's soft voice disappeared, replaced by a harsh tone. He turned back around and continued walking, his steps just a little bit heavier than before.

He stopped at the end of the hallway, his smile lighting up as he opened the closet door.

If there was one thing that made the zombie apocalypse worth it, it was weapons galore. No rules to the amount of damage you could cause.


	2. In Which the Protagonist is a Dumbass

Butters, Cartman, Stan, and Kyle all walked out the front door, locking it behind them.

"The electric fence is on, right?"

Butters asked in a hushed tone, giving a lingering glance at the window to Kenny and Karen's room.

"It should be, but just in case I think Cartman should test it and make sure."

Kyle chuckled at his own joke, earning a glare from the bigger man.

"I think you should suck my balls."

"Shut up, fat ass."

"You shut up, jew!"

"Would both of you shut the fuck up."

Stan interrupted their loud voices with a whispered yell in their direction. If they were too loud they wouldn't even make it past the fence without being attacked by the flesh eating dead. Kyle raised his hands in defeat and Cartman only pouted, tightening his grip on his long gun.

"Butters and I will take the woods, you two take the city."

The group nodded in agreement at the usual grouping. Stan wanted to be with Kyle, to make sure his best friend was safe. He knew he couldn't trust that fat ass to make sure a z didn't bite his boyfriend's arm off. The problem was that Kyle couldn't shoot for shit. He could, however, scavenge.

Butters, on the other hand, could track like a pro. A skill much needed to hunt for the small, fast, uninfected animals.

The two boys turned towards the road and Stan grabbed Kyle's wrist before he could get too far, pulling him back and pushing their lips together quickly.

"Be safe."

Kyle nodded, his cheeks tented red.

"Yeah, you too."

"Gaaaaaay. Can we leave now?" Cartman commented with a roll of his eyes.

"Well I think it's sweet." Butters commented with a small smile.

"No one cares what you think butthole."

Kyle twisted his hands on the handle of his barbed bat. His nerves always got to him when they went on runs like this. One mistake. That's all it took to become a meal for the walking dead.

"Would you chill out? I can see your balls shriveling up as we speak."

"Shut up, fat ass. I have a reason to be nervous, and so should you."

Cartman only rolled his eyes as they continued to walk side by side. They had gotten into town after less than a two hour walk. If all the gas weren't gone, it would've taken 20 minutes.

"You don't have to be nervous when you're as talented as I am."

"Cartman, you act like I don't already know what a pussy you are."

"Says the Jew who can't even hold his weapon steady."

It was Kyles turn to roll his eyes, a deep aggervated sigh following.

"Whatever."

Kyle and Cartman checked store after store after store, finding nothing but a roll of duct tape, one water bottle, two cans of beans, a granola bar, and a jar of peanut butter. Not a total loss, yet not enough to survive. Cartman hummed quietly as he searched the empty shelves for anything they could use.

"What're we doing Cartman?"

Kyle asked in a low tone, sadness hidden well behind his voice.

"What do you mean? We're getting supplies, dumbass."

"That's not..." he sighed deeply, rubbing his face with a hand.

"You know what I meant."

"We're trying to survive. That's what we're doing."

Cartman grabbed something, carelessly throwing it into Kyle's plastic bag. The red head suddenly stopped,

"Shouldn't life be about more than just surviving?"

Cartman turned around, prepared to tell Kyle what a pussy he was being and how none of them wanted to eat a bean and a half for supper instead of a four course meal but too fucking bad. Instead he was met with sad green eyes staring at the pathetic amount of supplies in their plastic bag.

Cartman cleared his throat as he turned away,

"I think we've got just about everything we're gonna find. Let head back to the house."

Kyle nodded in agreement and they made their way out the store. They walked past abandoned car after abandoned store after abandoned restaurant and Kyle didn't say a word. It was driving Cartman insane.

"You suck at shooting a gun."

It was a work in progress but at least he'd get a rise out of the ginger.

"Yeah, well, I'd never used one until my whole family died."

Morbid.

"I could... teach you? I guess."

Kyle paused, his brows knitting as he looked in Cartman's direction.

"I know how to shoot a gun Cartman."

He stated sternly, his hands landing on his hips.

"I didn't say you you don't know how to shoot a gun. I said you suck at shooting a gun."

"I'm better than you."

He quickly shot back in a defensive tone.

"Oh-ho, is that right?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

Cartman looked around, a few empty cans on the ground catching his eye. He bent over and picked up the cans, having no problem finding a car to set them on top of. Kyle only watched, an eyebrow raised in question as the larger man walked at least five yards away to place the trash on top of a car.

"What're you doing?"

He asked in a bored tone, examining their surroundings for zombies as he spoke. Cartman finally made his way back to Kyle, a smirk on his lips as their eyes met.

"I bet you my portion of dinner tonight that I can shoot more of those cans down than you."

Cartman pointed to the three cans he had lined up on top of a silver Pontiac a good distance away.

Kyle chuckled quietly,

"Thats a terrible idea."

"Why?"

"Multiple reasons r-tard."

Wasting bullets, loud noises, and not to mention he was awful at shooting a gun.

"Come on Kyle, we only passed a few zombies on our way here and none since we got into town. I thought you said life should be about more than just surviving?"

He took a step closer,

"Why not have a little fun? Learn a thing or two?"

Cartman pulled his gun strap over his head, holding the weapon out in Kyle's direction.

"Live a little."

Kyle sighed, shoving his bat's handle into Cartman's hand.

"Fine, I could use some extra food on my plate."

Cartman's smile grew before he moved out of the way, gesturing in the can's direction.

Kyle lifted the gun to his face, aiming it at the can right in the middle of the three.

"You get three shots."

"Shut up fat ass."

Kyle took a deep breath through his nose and out through is mouth before firing.

Miss.

Aimed it again.

Miss.

"God damnit."

He took a deep breath, aiming it one last time before pressing the trigger.

Miss.

Cartman chuckled,

"My turn."

Kyle handed the gun off, a sour look on his face.

Cartman lifted the semi-automatic, pressing it comfortably against his shoulder, his expression turned blank as he aimed.

The sound of a bullet hitting metal echoed in the sky.

Then he did it again with the can to the left.

Once more to the can on the right before he turned to Kyle with a smile.

"I don't want to know why you're so good at this."

"Because it's an apocalypse, get with the times Jew."

The red head only scoffed.

"I can show you how. I mean it usually just takes practice, but from what I've seen it'll take more than that for you."

Kyle punched him hard in the arm, definitely leaving a bruise.

"You're a dick."

He ripped the gun from Cartman's hands.

"Now show me how to shoot people."

Cartman chuckled,

"Alright, alright."

He ran over to the car, picking the cans up and putting them back up top before coming back.

"Position yourself to shoot, feet shoulder width apart." Kyle did as he was told, lifting the gun up to eye level.

"Hold the gun tighter,"

Kyle tightened his grip.

Cartman walked up behind him and hesitantly wrapped his arm around him, resting a hand on his stomach.

"You're too tense."

His hot breath tickled the shell of Kyle's ear.

"You're taking your breathes but you aren't actually loosening up. You keep jerking or flinching every time you shoot."

Kyle tried to relax his muscles but found it difficult with the larger man invading his personal space.

"Keep your shoulders lowered."

Kyle rolled his shoulders before letting them rest loosely.

"Aim just bellow the target."

Kyle closed his eyes. He breathed in through his nose, his stomach expanding under Cartman's warm hand before he let the air out through his mouth.

He opened his eyes.

Aimed.

Fired.

Kyle lowered the gun as the sound of the bullet connecting with tin echoed though the air, a shocked expression soon turning to a bright smile.

"Oh my god. That was exhilarating."

Kyle turned his head, his face inches from Cartman's. His eyes were dark but in the sunlight, being this close, Kyle could see one eye was brown and one eye was a dark blue. Cartman licked his lips, his eyes boring deep into Kyle's.

"Um.."

His voice was barely a whisper.

"You can... let go now."

Cartman's eyes widened.

"Right!"

He practically threw Kyle from his arms, backing away quickly.

"See, stupid jew, I'm so good I can even make someone as awful as you make a perfect shot."

Kyle rolled his eyes.

There was the Cartman he knew.

The sound of something crashing to the ground alerted the two boys. Cartman quickly took his weapon back and Kyle grabbed his bat from where it had been tossed to the concrete.

"What was that?"

Kyle examined their surroundings with wide eyes. The street was empty, eerily empty. A scream from behind him caused him to jump and he quickly turned to see a zombie inches away from Cartman.

He slammed the end of his bat to it's head, blood spewing onto Cartman's face.

"Run."

As soon as he said it they saw them. At least 40 of them where running straight towards the two boys, as fast as humanly possible. Scratch that. They aren't human, at least not anymore.

"Come on,"

Kyle helped Cartman to his feet and they began to run. They ran past their small bag of supplies, past the stores they had searched for hours, and in the opposite direction of the base. They couldn't lead them anywhere near there.

They ran as fast as they could, Cartman's hand was locked onto Kyle's.

He couldn't breathe.

His legs weren't as fast as Kyle's.

He was going to be sick or worse faint.

"Kyle," He panted.

He turned his head to face Cartman, glancing at the dead running behind them.

"Come here." He turned a building to the right an abandon car catching his eye.

He let go of Cartman's hand and ran up to it trying to open the door.

"Come on!" He growled, attempting to open the locked car.

"Fucking open!" he slammed the window with his elbow in a angry failed attempt to break the glass.

Cartman quickly got to the ground and rolled under the car, pulling Kyle down with him, just as the dead rounded the corner.


	3. Everything goes Wonderfully Wrong

Kenny stared at the lump in the ground with a blank expression. They hadn't dug the hole deep enough. He couldn't even do this right. He was never good enough for Karen.

"Kenny,"

A gentle hand rested on his shoulder but he didn't waste the energy to turn and look. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered.

"Karen was the light of this house."

Butter's quiet voice spoke and Kenny's jaw clenched at the tears threatening to leave his eyes again.

"She was smart, probably smarter than the majority of us. I couldn't count all the fights that were stopped because she walked in the room. How many time she calmed Stan down from a panic attack. How many times Cartman gave up on his ridiculous plans because it would put her in danger. All the times she held Kyle's hand when he worried about Ike. All the times she made me feel like I was needed. We thought we were taking care of her, but... I think it was the other way around."

Kenny sniffled, refusing to look back at the blonde.

"And I killed her."

Butters sighed quietly, sitting down next to the grieving boy.

"You didn't kill her Ken. You did what you thought-"

"I killed her Butters!"

Kenny cut Butter's off with a hurt yell, his wide, wet blue eyes finally meeting the blondes. Butter jumped slightly, startled by Kenny's tone.

"And Stan's right, the others are probably dead too."

"Stan's drunk, he didn't mean that. He knows Kyle can handle himself."

"Please," Kenny scoffed.

"They left at 7 in the morning. It's past 10, the sun went down hours ago. If they do come back it'll be with a bite mark."

As if on que the sound of a door slamming shut followed by yelling and screaming echoed inside the house. Kenny and Butters shared a worried glance before quickly getting to their feet.

"Told you."

Kenny sighed as he opened the door, Butters spared him a glance before walking inside.

"It hurts! Oh god!" Cartman moaned and groaned loudly from where he was draped over Kyle's shoulder.

"Where have you been?" Stan's angry shouts filled the room.

Kyle dropped Cartman on the couch, a loud pained groan coming from the bigger man.

"The sun's been down for hours, I thought you were fucking dead!"

"Shut up, Stan." Kyle panted, sweat dripped down his forehead as he glared at the dark haired man.

"I'm sorry, but we really don't have time for this right now-"

"God damnit it hurts!"

"What happened?"

Butters asked in a worried tone, running up to examine Cartman for wounds. His eyes widened when he got to Cartman's hand, a deep bite mark on his pointer finger.

"He's bit."

"It hurts! Oh fuck! I'm gonna die!"

"You're not gonna die! Stop being such a pussy!"

Stan yelled in Cartman's direction before turning back to Kyle,

"Go get the bottle of Vodka from our room, it's in the black bag at the top of the closet. I'll heat up the knife."

Kyle's brows knitted, although he nodded his head before they separated in search for the supplies.

"Kenny..." Cartman called out to the blonde sitting on the armrest of the couch with a low, exaggeratedly pained voice.

"Kenny come close."

Kenny rolled his eyes as Cartman grabbed the sleeve of his orange jacket, pulling him closer.

"What do you want?"

"You're still..." he breathed in heavily, "the poorest one here."

Kenny patted his shoulder,

"In your last moment you still disappoint me fatboy."

He got up from the edge of the couch, moving to the other side of the room.

Kyle quickly ran back into the living room, grabbing Cartman's hand and without warning pouring alcohol over his finger. The pained yell that came from Cartman's lips was real this time, his eyes squeezing shut at the stinging feeling. Soon Stan was also rounding the corner, a blazing red knife in his hand.

"Get him something to bite down on,"

Stan yelled over his shoulder as he sat down on the coffee table in front of Cartman. Butters quickly obliged, disappearing down the hall and reappearing with a T-shirt in his hand.

"What're you gonna-"

Stan shoved the shirt into Cartman's mouth,

"I'm going to cut it off before it moves to your blood stream. I heated up the knife up so it'll cauterize the wound as I cut. Hold his arm still."

Kyle grabbed his arm and Stan lifted the knife. Cartman tried to pull away, spitting the cloth from his mouth.

"StopStopStop! Wait!"

Stan paused with an annoyed sigh.

"Cartman!"

"I know, I'm sorry! I just wasn't prepared."

"Okay, well now you are."

He lifted the knife, holding Cartman's hand still on the table.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!"

"What now?!"

"Kenny, pass me the Vodka."

Without question Kenny handed Cartman the bottle. He tipped it back, gulping down a good bit before pulling away with a sour expression and wiping his mouth.

"Okay."

He let out a deep breath, holding the liquor tight in his opposite hand.

"I'm ready."

Kenny gently put the shirt back between his teeth and Cartman nodded at Stan to continue.

The knife came down with as much force as Stan could conjure, the knife making a hissing sound as it cut through his flesh. A muffled scream filled the room as Cartman began to struggle.

"Butters, get something to wrap his hand with."

Kyle's voice echoed somewhere in the background but Stan couldn't hear anything over the sound of screaming and the smell of burning flesh.

I guess 'one quick swoop' was out of the question because he was attempting to saw through the bone now. His stomach turned, the gruesome sight making him feel sick. You'd think for such a small bone it'd be easier to break. Blood spewed from the wound, his last white t-shirt now stained with Cartman's finger blood. He couldn't stop. He had to make sure Cartman didn't turn. They couldn't afford to loose another, not again. No matter how annoying that another is. Blood squirted up at Stan's face as he finished off the finger. He quickly grabbed the vodka and poured it over the wound before falling from the table, bile making its way up his throat and to the bloody carpeted floor. He wiped at his face, blood and puke smeared on his hands.

"Stan."

He could barely hear the voice calling him over the pounding in his head. He tried to breath in, tried to take a deep breath and just stop freaking out but he couldn't. His lungs betrayed him as if he were drowning underwater.

"Stan."

Orange filled his vision as Kenny stepped in front of him, a hand landing gently on his shoulder. Tension grew inside Stan taking over his face and each of his limbs.

"You did it. It's over, just breath."

He tried to calm down, tried to breath like a normal fucking person but he couldn't.

His heart hammered in his chest so loud he swore the others could hear it. He heaved in, trying again to take in a breath.

"Stan..."

Kyle's soft features came into view, a gentle hand wiping the blood from his face with a cloth.

"Take your time. In and out. It's okay,"

A warm hand engulfed his and the ginger began to gently stroke his hand with the cloth, wiping away the gross fluids that stained them.

"Take Cartman to his room and let him rest."

Kyle was talking to someone behind him but his eyes stayed on Stan's dirty hands. Everything felt so intense but Kyle felt like a life boat saving him from the harsh waves. Stan's heaving calmed down, small amounts of oxygen finally relieving his lungs. His shaky hands stopped Kyle's movement, intertwining their fingers tightly. Kyle turned to look at him, green eyes finally meeting blue.

"I thought you were dead..."

A worried expression crossed Kyle's face before he lifted a hand to caress Stan's bloody cheek.

"I would never leave you alone."

After checking for infection, skinning, and cutting them up Stan waited for the two squirrels to cook on the stove. Only half an hour of waiting and the candles under the stove top were finally heating the thinly sliced meat.

"It's pointless to be mad at him."

Kenny chuckled from where he sat on the counter. Stan ignored the blonde, pushing the squirrel meat around lazily.

"Cartman's good at sweet talking, it's not Kyle's fault he's manipulated so easily."

Stan sighed,

"I just thought he was smarter than that."

"Than Cartman?"

Kenny scoffed,

"I think just about anybody's smarter than Cartman."

Stan turned away from the stove, rubbing his face in frustration.

"I want to be mad at them. At both of them, mainly Cartman of course, but I can't be."

His hands gripped the counter behind him as he spoke. He was confused and mad and relieved and tired all at once.

"Kyle said they were just messing around, that they just wanted to pretend the world isn't as shitty as it is for a couple of minutes. It is though. It's shitty and dangerous and one slip up can cause the most catastrophic damage."

"Trust me, I know."

"Sorry..."

He turned back to the stove, the meat browning in the pan.

"What I want to know is how Cartman got his damn finger bitten."

"We didn't get that far."

"Yeah, 'cause you blew up on him before he could finish."

"I was worried, okay? Jump off my balls."

Kenny chuckled. Stan flipped the pieces of meat over, the smell causing his stomach to growl.

"Go get the others, dinners almost ready."

Kenny nodded before jumping down from the counter and heading down the hallway, knocking on each door as he did.

Kyle stared down at Cartman's pale figure with worried eyes. The shirt wrapped around his hand was specked with blood. After hiding under that damn car until the sun went down the hoard of zombies had finally left. When it looked safe they made a run for it. Not even five minutes after fleeing from their hiding spot one of the walking dead had snuck up on them. The low growl caused Kyle to turn his head, a surprised scream escaping his lips as he came face to face with death. His life flashed before his eyes. Ike, Stan, his parents, Cartman, Kenny, Butters and his other friends, memories reminding him of the good days flashed through his mind like a picture book. Without thinking Cartman had grabbed the zombies face, inches from Kyle's neck, pushed it to the ground and shot it in the face. Cartman had saved him without any thought for his own safety. He never would've taken Cartman as the type to put his life on the line for others.

There was a knock on the door and he turned to see Kenny opening the door.

"Stan cooked dinner."

"Okay." Kyle nodded, turning back to Cartman's pale frame. Kenny stepped closer,

"How's our favorite neo-nazi doing?"

Kyle sighed, his brows knitted.

"He lost a lot of blood but..."

He shrugged

"He won't turn."

Kenny's hand landed on the back of Kyle's chair, glancing over Cartman's limp body with a disappointed expression.

"Sucks it was his trigger finger. He was a good shot-"

"He'll learn how to shoot again."

Kyle cut him off defensively, surprising the blonde standing behind him. Kenny raised his hands in surrender,

"Woah."

"Shut up Kenny."

Without another word Kyle shot up from his seat and left the room. Kenny watched Kyle with raised eyebrows and wide eyes, blindsided by the sudden outburst. He looked back to Cartman's sleeping figure as he lowered his hands.

"Did I say something?"

Kyle stared at Stan from their bed, the pillow soft under his tired head. The dark haired man took a swig of his vodka before putting it back down next to him and continuing to load and clean their weapons. Almost half the bottle was used on Cartman's wound, the other half quickly downed by the man it belonged to. Kyle thought back to the black bag at the top of their closet. When he had looked for it earlier it was hidden under a ratty blanket. When he unzipped it he was surprised to see at least 7 bottles of alcohol inside, some half drank and other not yet opened.

"Why are you staring at me, weirdo?"

Stan didn't even have to turn around, he could feel those mossy green eyes boring into the back of his skull. He finished loading the last gun, closing the action and setting it down in the pile to the left of him.

"I'm just thinking..."

Stan stood up, taking his bottle with him as he stumbled closer to the bed.

"'Bout what?"

He plopped down on the bed next to Kyle, beginning to play with his oily red curls. His expression was soft as he stared down at his boyfriend, a small smile on his lips.

"I'm worried."

"Cartman'll be fine." He pulled the bottle up to his face, examining the one or two sips left at the bottom.

"It'll take more than a bite to kill that fat bastard."

Kyle's brows knitted.

"I'm worried about _you_."

Stan's face contorted before he threw back the last of the bottle with one quick gulp.

"You don't need to worry about me." He wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve.

"It's the others you should be worried about. Cartman's injured, Kenny's sister died, we all have problems. Mine are the least concerning."

Kyle's hand gently grabbed Stan's face, forcing their eyes to meet. The bored, drunken look on his face changed when he saw how serious Kyle's expression was.

"Just because the others have problems doesn't mean yours aren't valid. You matter more to me than anyone."

Stan bit his lip, he couldn't tell if his cheeks were warm because of the sappy stuff his boyfriend had just spewed or the alcohol flowing through his veins.

"I need you."

Stan's eyes glanced from Kyle's eyes to his chapped lips. The red head snaked an arm around Stan's waist, pushing his dark hair away from his face with the other hand.

"I will do anything to keep you safe."

Stan wrapped his arms securely around his boyfriend before their lips met. He couldn't help the smile that pulled on his lips as he kissed the smaller boy, his hand roaming under Kyle's shirt.

"I love you."

Kyle panted as Stan moved down to his neck, sucking and kissing every piece of skin he could reach.

"I love you-"

The sound of shattering glass and a piercing scream interrupted the teens, both of them quickly pulling away.

"That sounded like Butters."

Without another word Stan was off the bed and grabbing a gun, heading down the hall at a fast pace. Chaos came from the door at the end of the hall attracting everyone in the houses attention. Stan opened the door to Butter's room, his eyes widening. The window had been shattered to pieces. A zombie bigger than any one he'd seen before slammed its fists angrily against the closet door in attempt to get Butters out.

"What the fuck?"

Stan had never seen a Z like this one before. Although it looked rotted and greying like all the others it was too big and too strong to be a regular Z. It turned to Stan with pitch black eyes and it's jaw unhedged as an inhuman screech loud enough to bust your eardrums came from its mouth.

Stan quickly aimed his gun, shooting it right between the eyes. It fell to the ground with a heavy thud, the house suddenly becoming silent.

"What the fuck is that?"

Kenny's voice came from the door way and Stan turned to see him and Kyle staring at the unusually giant Z laying dead on the ground. Butters peaked from the closet door,

"Is it dead?"

"Yeah..." Stan kicked it's limp leg.

"It's dead."

Another loud, ear piercing screech came from somewhere outside, the sound echoing though the sky. They were calling for back up. Whatever these new Zs were, they were smart.

"We have to leave."

Butters turned from his broken window to the other boys in the room with wide eyes.

"They're going to come back."

Stan nodded. He was right. They couldn't stay here any longer. The house they called home for the past few years was no longer safe. The electric fence wasn't high enough to keep the monsters away.

"I'll get Cartman."


	4. Craig and Those Guys?

Kenny dragged his feet as he walked, a yawn escaping his lips. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before with everything that had happened with Karen. He knew he wouldn't sleep tonight either but, to be honest, he really didn't think the reason would be mutated zombies.

"I'm dying." Cartman's voice was scratchy from lack of sleep. He held his wound close to his chest, hissing every couple minutes at the pain.

"I want to die." Kenny agreed before another yawn escaped his lips causing Butters to yawn and then Cartman.

"Would you guys stop yawning." Kyle yawned before glaring at the small group walking behind him.

"We can't help it. We're tired." Butters commented as he rubbed at his eyes.

"We're all tired." Stan stated, his eyes struggling to stay completely open.

"Do you see any places to stop that look safe?"

Kyle examined their surroundings. A tall, long building with the words 'Pine Creek High School' spelled out across the top was the only building for miles.

"There."

Cartman groaned loudly.

"I'd rather die than stay in a school!"

A loud screech from behind them caused the five boys to jump, their eyes widening in fear. The Zs were catching up to them.

"Then die."

Stan grabbed Kyle's shoulder, leading them both towards the hell hole that was now their only savior. Butters quickly sped up to walk beside them.

Kenny stared up at the school with bored eyes.

"Of course it had to be a high school. Not an ice cream shop or a movie theater, a high school. Awesome."

He grumbled as he too shuffled in the school's direction. Another screech came from behind them, except now it was louder. Cartman jumped.

"Whatever."

He groaned as he sprinted to catch up with the rest of the group. Kyle slowly opened the door, letting Stan examine the inside with his gun cocked and ready.

"Okay."

As soon as Stan said it the others were flooding in, Kenny locking the door behind them.

"Woah."

Butters looked up, the school had at least four floors. Each staircase was viewable, the edge of each floor held only by gates. If someone were to be pushed over they would definitely die.

"If our high school looked like this Cartman would've been shoved over the edge years ago."

Kenny chuckled at his own joke, earning a glare.

"Come on, we need to get away from the doors."

Kyle led the way, walking farther into the school.

They got to the top of the stairs and took a right before hearing a gunshot and Butters dropped to the floor.

"Butters!" Kenny turned around with wide eyes, seeing him ducked down on the floor.

"I'm fine." He got up from off the ground with caution, "They missed. "

"I'm sorry, I don't miss."

Stan looked back to the front seeing a group of 4 familiar looking faces.

"If I wanted to kill you, you would be dead."

In the front of the group stood the tallest man with black hair and icy blue eyes, a shotgun in his hands. Long black hair and a slender frame held a sharp, sleek katana to his left. Her lavender eyes looked over them, lingering on Stan. Dark skin and a muscular frame wield an axe with a sharp blade to his right.

"Oh my god."

Kyle suddenly dropped his bat, his eyes wide. Stan followed Kyle's line of sight to the shortest of the group. His black hair was short and dark brown eyes were as wide as his mouth.

"Ike?"

"Kyle?"

Without another beat Kyle sped towards his younger brother, his arms engulfing Ike in a hug.

"I thought you were dead..."

Ike stated as he wrapped his arms around Kyle, his hand gripping the back of his jacket tightly.

"I knew you were alive."

Kyle smiled, pulling his brother an arms length away.

"I knew you would make it."

His brother's smile was full. Last time Kyle had seen him he'd been missing baby teeth. He looked so grown up.

Craig pulled a walkie-talkie from his pocket,

"Babe, you'll never guess who we just ran into."

After a few seconds of static Tweek's voice came through,

"Who?"

"Stan, Kyle, Kenny, Cartman, and Butters. The whole gang."

It was silent for a little longer this time and Craig chuckled.

"Bring them up."

Craig looked over each member of the old friend group. Memories of all the stupid shit they would start back in school running through his mind. His eyes landed on Ike who's arm was still wrapped around Kyle's shoulder.

"Alright, reunions over. We need to get back to base before the sun comes up. Let's go."

Craig's voice was deep as he turned around, leading the way back to the supposed base.

"I don't want to go with them, they just shot at us."

Cartman complained, the others ignored him following close behind Craig, Token, Ike, and Wendy

"He doesn't even like us!"

"Stay if you want."

Kyle chuckled as he walked beside his brother. Cartman crossed his arms as they got farther away. He huffed, tapping his foot impatiently. They wouldn't really leave him would they?

They turned a corner, disappearing from his line of sight.

"God damnit."

He quickly started after them, trying not to lose them.

"Wait up you guys!"

As soon as he turned the corner he was met with an elevator. Kyle held the door open, a smirk on his lips.

"Shut up."

He stated as he stepped into the elevator.

"Are you sure this thing works?"

"It works."

Token pressed four and the doors closed, the small box taking them all the way to the top floor before opening.

"Keep an eye out for walkers."

"Walkers?" Cartman snorted,

"Craig, you watch way too much walking dead."

"I think we should leave him out here for the screechers."

Wendy spoke up, glaring at the bigger man.

"Screechers?"

Stan asked, his eyebrow risen.

"We can talk about this when we get to the base. Come on,"

Token led the way out of the elevator and down the hall. They took a right and then a left before being met with giant gym doors.

Ike slammed a fist against the door once, paused, and then hit it twice more.

"It's us!"

After a few minutes and a couple of loud sounds from the other side someone slowly opened the door.

The gym was huge. Six long tables sat in one corner holding weapons or cans of food. Tents and blankets sat on the opposite side of the gym, along with some chairs. A large machine sat in the corner, plugs and wires connected to it.

Tweek closed the door behind them, sliding a metal bar over it and wrapping chains around the handles before locking it.

Stan looked over everyone that had survived.

Craig

Tweek

Token

Clyde

Wendy

Tricia

Ike

No parents. Shelly wasn't here either. He bit his lip. It was okay. Kyle was here. Kyle found Ike and that's good enough for him.

"You guys can sleep in the tents if you want, you look like death."

Craig spoke, looking over the small group.

"I don't want to sleep, I have questions. What did Wendy mean by Screechers? Do you know what those things are?"

"No," Craig shook his head. "They just showed up out of no where. They mainly come out during the night, during the day they hide in dark places like stores and sewers."

"And schools."

What Craig had said before about getting to base before the sun came up clicked in Cartman's mind.

"They don't come up to the fourth floor. Usually."

Cartman rolled his eyes.

"Great, now we're trapped here until the sun goes down again."

"Oh, stop complaining Cartman, I'm tired. I need to sleep."

Kenny walked past Craig and towards the tents.

"Me too."

Butters followed close behind.

"Whatever. It's not like we're going anywhere."

He groaned before shuffling towards the comfort of blankets. Stan smiled as he looked around the base one more time,

"Thanks for letting us stay here Craig. I know Cartman can be a pain and-"

"I only let you in because of Ike."

Kyle and Stan's brows knitted, both of them meeting Craig's blue eyes as he interrupted him.

"...what?"

Kyle was taken back.

Craig looked around them, making sure the others were too far away to hear before turning back to Kyle and Stan with a serous expression.

"Every time you four are around something bad happens. We're going on a trip in a few days."

He took a step closer to both of the men. Kyle looked confused while Stan was angry.

"I'm going to let you stay here for now, but you are not coming with us when we leave. I won't let Tricia or Tweek or Ike or any of my friends die because of you idiots."

Kenny stared at the top of the tent with wet eyes. Why did Kyle get his brother back? Why did Tricia and Ike get to live while Karen rotted in the backyard of their old house?

"Hey, Ken."

Butters interrupted his thoughts as he crawled through the tent's opening, zipping it closed behind him. The bright fluorescent lights looked much dimmer inside. Kenny refused to look, instead throwing an arm over his eyes to hide his tears.

Butter gave him an empathic expression, his brows knitted.

"I know it must be hard... seeing Kyle holding his brother again."

"I'm happy for Kyle."

Kenny stated, his voice harsh and emotionless. Butters bit his lip.

"Okay..."

He slid onto the thick black blanket the blonde was laying on and cuddled against him, wrapping an arm around his middle and his head on Kenny's shoulder.

"What're you doing?"

Kenny quickly wiped his eyes before looking over to Butters, his eyes slightly red.

"I need to be comforted."

The blonde squeezed him tight and Kenny sighed. He knew this wasn't for Butters. While the others could never read Kenny or tell when he took an emotional blow Butters could always see it. He could glance at Kenny and tell if he felt even the slightest bit uncomfortable. He loved Kenny.

"Okay..."

Kenny wrapped an arm around Butters.

"Just this once."


	5. You Won’t Believe This False Hope

Kenny stared at the top of the tent. He'd gotten maybe an hour or two of sleep before the sound of a screecher below them woke him up, in his panic he had mistaken Butter's weight on his arm for Karen's. He was so used to having her there by his side yet it felt like she had died years ago. No one spoke about her. No one asked. Everyone just assumed and they were right and it was his fault.

He didn't want to wake Butters so he didn't get up. Besides he didn't feel like talking to anyone anyways, so he continued to lay there in his own self pity. He didn't know what time it was for lack of windows but the screechers had died down a while ago.

After what seemed like hours passed a cramp in his arm decided it was time for him to get up. He slowly slid from under Butters and put his parka on, leaving his small back pack in the corner as he left the tent.

"Look who's finally up."

Cartman's voice came from the other side of the tent and then a crunching sound. Kenny raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?"

He looked around the dark tent to see Cartman laying down crunching on a bag of chips.

"I woke up a while ago but I didn't want to talk to those asshats so I stole some of their food and hid over here."

Kenny chuckled before looking over to the group of people sitting around the tables with cups in their hands. Craig stood at the end pointing to something on the table.

"What are they doing?"

"Talking about boring stuff probably. They suck ass. Want a chip?"

Kenny looked back to Cartman who held a golden chip out to him. He reaches for it but Cartman pulled away, throwing it in his mouth before the blonde could grab it.

"You're such a dick."

"It's an apocalypse, I'm not gonna share my food."

He shrugged,

"What did you expect?"

Kenny rolled his eyes before getting up and walking over towards the table Craig and the others were sitting at. Once they saw him Craig rolled up what looked like a map and put it in the pocket of his blue hoodie. Kenny raised his eyebrows.

"What're you hiding there, Craig?"

"Nothing."

He smirk before taking a sip from his cup.

"Would you like some coffee?"

Clyde turned around in his seat, an overly bright smile on his face. Kenny's brows knitted,

"You guys are really trying this?"

They all stared at him with expectant eyes and he sighed.

"Okay."

He turned to Clyde,

"Sure, I would love some coffee. Can you get it for me?"

"You can get it yourself. It's three tables down."

As soon as Clyde opened his mouth Craig spoke for him. Kenny glared at the slightly taller man but Craig's smirk never fell. Kenny contemplated taking the knife out his boot and throwing it at the smug man, instead he took a deep breath and walked away.

"You don't have to be such an asshole to them."

Ike commented as soon as Kenny was too far to hear.

"I don't want them to think they're apart of our group."

Ike glared at him, his arms crossed.

"I think they should come with us."

Craig copied Ike, crossing his arms as Ike's dark eyes challenged his.

"I agree with Ike. I think you should let them come."

Tricia glanced between the two,

"I know that in the past they've fucked up but-"

"They're not coming with us. We don't even have enough room in the cars."

The oldest of the group argued.

"We can get another car."

"It'd take another month to zombify it."

Token butt in and Ike turned to glare at him.

"What?" He asked defensively.

"We can't risk taking a regular vehicle, screechers are a lot stronger than regular zombies."

Tricia flicked him off.

"I think we should take a vote."

Wendy spoke up, everyone turned to look at her.

"It's great that you've taken initiative Craig, but you're not the boss of everyone. We're leaving as a group, which means we make decisions as a group. Just like the vote to leave for the bunker."

He glared at her.

"Fine." He stated through gritted teeth.

"We'll take a vote." He looked over the small group of seven.

"If you want to risk having Cartman, Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Butters come, and at the slim chance nothing goes wrong, spend the rest of our lives in a bunker with them. Raise your hand."

Ike rose his hand, then Tricia. A second passed and then Tweek rose his hand as well. Craig turned to his boyfriend with a surprised expression.

"They should come to the bunker with us. They're not bad luck charms, they're people. People we grew up with."

Wendy let an annoyed sigh loose causing everyone to turn and look at her.

"Fine."

Her hand rose too.

"Then, they're coming. It's final."

Tweek smiled before turning to Craig, who's expression was a mixture of anger and hurt and confusion and surprise. What the fuck? Tweek was his boyfriend. He's suppose to take his side.

"Just give them a chance, babe."

"YeAh, GiVe'Em A cHaNcE bAbE."

Tricia mocked the couple, Ike snorted.

Kyle stepped in sync with Ike, who walked confidentially with his gun tight in his hand. He was tall. Thirteen and only a few inches shorter than Kyle. His teeth were crooked, he would've needed braces. The thought caused Kyle to chuckle under his breath. Ike would've freaked out had their mom and dad forced him to get metal put on his teeth.

Stan stood to his left, an annoyed expression on his face as he stared at the back of Craig's head. The hateful look was justified, after the way he had talked to them when they'd arrived both the boys wanted to punch Craig in the face.

As soon as they were up and moving around Craig had told them, along with Kenny, Cartman, and Butters, to get ready. Kyle didn't ask him were they were going as they left the safety of the gym. He probably shouldn't put all his trust in someone just because they used to go to the same school. Ike trusted him and that made it at least ten times easier to follow instead of fight Craig.

"I hope you know you've all led us to our deaths."

Cartman grumbled in their direction.

"Stop being so dramatic fat ass."

Kenny commented.

"I'm seriously guys! We don't even know where he's taking us and you just followed him out blindly. He tried to shoot at Butters yesterday."

"I should've aimed for you." Craig grumbled under his breath.

"You didn't have to come with, Cartman."

Butters turned to look at the bigger man walking closely behind them.

"If I didn't come, who would protect you idiots. You wouldn't survive ten minutes without me."

"Says the only one of us missing a trigger finger."

Stan chuckled at his own joke. Kyle's brows knitted as he looked over at Cartman. He was holding Token's ax loosely in his hand, an unhappy expression on his face. Guilt filled the red head's chest he looked over the nub where Cartman's finger had been, freshly wrapped in new bandages. Kyle ruined the one thing he was good at, the one thing he actually enjoyed.

"We're going out the back."

Craig spoke up from the front as he turned down a hall to the left.

"Leading us down to the torture chamber where him and your freaky Canadian brother will chop us up and feed us to their cannibal friends."

Craig ignored Cartman's ridiculous story, continuing forward until the hall ended and a locked glass door was all that was between them and the monsters outside.

"The garage is over there."

Craig pointed his finger at the small building across the football field, a large forest sat right behind it.

"Of course there has to be a dark scary forest."

Butters commented in a quiet tone.

"As soon as we're vulnerable on the field the walkers will attack. There shouldn't be any screechers around here this early in the morning but don't let your guard down."

The group nodded, preparing their weapons in their hands.

"Ike, check the Garage the second we open the door."

"Got it."

Without another word Craig unlocked and opened the door, running with his gun up and cocked. Ike, Cartman, Kyle, Stan, and Butters followed out the door behind him. They ran down a flight of brick stairs before running past a pair of tall bleachers and across the football field.

Stan couldn't help the feeling of nostalgia that ran through him. He was a quarterback back before all of this, a damn good one too. Sophomore year was the last normal year. It was when he made the winning touch down and him and Kyle kissed in public for the first time.

"Stan, hurry!"

Kyle was suddenly pushing him from behind, rushing him as they ran off the field. A few walkers came from the woods, each of them quickly put down by Craig, Butters, and Kenny.

They finally got to the garage, which looked a lot bigger up close, and Craig opened the door, holding it for each of them to get inside. A zombie ran towards the open door, snarling loudly and Craig lifted his gun with a bored expression, shooting it's brains out before closing and locking the door.

Kenny looked around his eyes growing wide and a smile pulling at his lips. A black Dodge Challenger with large pieces of curved metal covering the front, spikes coming from each end, sat in front of him. The top held a machine gun and three little round lights attached. A second vehicle sat to the right of that one. A less bad ass dark colored Toyota Camry with the same metal pieces protecting the front and the same small circular lights on top.

"Badass."

The blonde whispered in awe.

"Yeah, they're pretty. Not just for looks either."

Craig moved to the back of the challenger, lifting the trunk with a smirk on his face. The others followed him, their eyes falling on a trunk filled to the brim with bottles of gasoline.

"We've been planning this trip for a while. The only thing that wasn't part of it was you five showing up."

He turned to the boys, Kenny being the closest met his stormy ocean blue eyes.

"If one of you fucks this up for us, I will kill you myself."

"Hold on, wait a second. You mean, you want us to go with now?"

Kyle was confused, not even eight hours ago Craig had practically told them to fuck off.

"Wendy thought it would be a good idea to vote on it."

Ike chuckled, a smirk on his lips as he looked up at Craig who sported an annoyed expression.

"Craig let a girl tell him what to do? Ha!" Cartman laughed in a loud annoying voice. Craig rolled his eyes before closing the trunk of the car.

"Wendy wants us to come?"

Stan asked, his voice tinged with confusion. They hadn't exactly left on the best terms. Craig looked between Kyle and Stan, an eyebrow raised.

"Not at first, but yeah."

The dark haired man walked between the cars, pulling on a string that lit up the whole room. With the better lighting they could see all the weapons and empty beer bottles littering the small building.

"Where exactly are we going on this trip?"

Kyle asked, skepticism tinged in his voice.

"We're going to a bunker."

Kyle looked over to his younger brother, green eyes meeting brown.

"A bunker?"

Ike nodded, a small smile tugged on the corner of his lip.

"There's a Federal Reserve Nuclear Bunker in mountain road Culpeper, Virginia."

His voice grew more excited with each word.

"Or at least it used to be a nuke bunker during the Cold War. Now it holds old films, but that's not the point. The point is it has 12-inch-thick concrete walls, it's 4 feet underground, barbed wire all around, 30 days worth of food and water for 500 people, and plenty of room to grow old."

Kyle's eyes widened. How did Ike know all of this? How did they even find out about this place?

"The bunker is 1,709 miles away, we'll have to go through Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and finally West Virginia. It should be a 26 hour drive."

Kyles brows knitted.

"How did you find out about this place?"

"The radio."

Craig interrupted, everyone turned their attention to him and he looked over each of them.

"It was random. After years and years of listening and waiting we had given up. Until a couple months ago a woman's voice came on talking about some bunker willing to house survivors. She droned on and on about how thick the walls were and how much room they had."

Suddenly Ike's speech made sense.

"This is where you've been planning on going? How do you know you can trust some random lady that-"

"You think that's not the first thought that went through my head?"

He scoffed.

"If you want to come, offers on the table. If not, I'd advise you to fuck off before we leave Monday morning."


	6. Is that a Sex Swing?

Clyde groaned in a loud exaggerated tone, slamming his head into the steering wheel in front of him.

"What're you doing?"

Token asked, a chuckled at the end of his question. Clyde looked up to him from the open car door of the blue Honda. They'd been walking for hours hot wiring every car they passed too see if it'd crank up. Sure, Wendy and Ike got to decide the more the merrier but him and Token were the ones stuck with the work.

"It's not working."

He lazily slumped back against the driver's seat.

"Surprising."

Token's voice was tinged with sarcasm. The shorter boy groaned again, louder this time.

"Would you shut up. You're going to attract something."

Clyde got out the car, slamming the door behind himself.

"We've been looking for a car that'll crank up for so long I think my body's going into starvation mode."

Token rolled his eyes.

"You're body is not going into starvation mode, we left like two hours ago."

"Yeah and in those two hours we've walked a million miles, killed like 50 walkers, and hot wired every car in America. I need a break."

Token scoffed at Clyde's professional complaining, crossing his arms as he gave his best friend an annoyed stare.

"Literally none of that is true. In the last two hours we've seen like 20 walkers, of which we only killed 12. We've tried hot wiring 6 cars and you got a second degree sunburn on your nose."

Clyde quickly ducked down next to the Honda, looking at how bright red his nose and forehead had gotten in the car's rear view mirror.

"Yep."

He stood up.

"I'm taking a break. Fuck those guys."

He looked around at the choices of houses before picking the closest one and speed walking towards it. Token sighed.

"Clyde, we should really keep looking for a working vehicle."

"Chill out, we have all day."

He didn't even turn around to speak, keeping his pace steady. He wasn't wrong. They left early in the morning, maybe an hour before the sun came up and now they were stuck outside until the screechers left the building that night. Hopefully they'd be driving back. Token quickly started after him,

"Clyde, wait. You need to check for screechers-"

"I know, I know. You act like this is the first time I've done this."

He rolled his eyes as he stopped next to the door. Token stopped on the other side,

"I always have to act like it's the first time with you. I never know what crazy shit you'll pull."

Clyde chuckled under his breath.

"You know me so well, you'd think you have a crush on me."

Token glared at him as the brunette made a kissy face. The dark skinned man rolled his eyes before cocking his gun and opening the door. He quickly lifted his weapon, walking down a short hallway that ended in a staircase and a doorway.

"I'll take down stairs, you take upstairs."

Clyde nodded before silently starting up the steep stairs. Token moved into the living room, checking each closet and under each table and then the bathroom. A loud clatter from the kitchen caused him to jump. He stepped towards the kitchen entrance slowly, tightening his grip on his weapon. A bang, like something fell from the counter, rang through the house and Token quickly moved against the wall so whatever was there couldn't see him. His heart was racing and his hands sweaty despite the hardened expression on his face. He was about to turn the corner and look when Clyde, out of no where, jumped on him.

"All the rooms are clear and there's a huge-"

Token quickly turned to stand in front of Clyde and covered his loud mouth with a hand.

He said nothing, only gesturing to the kitchen with a tilt of his head.

Clyde didn't follow his gesture and instead wiggles his eyebrows with a suggestive gaze. Token's face contorted in confusion before Clyde's tongue licked the palm of his hand.

"Gross!"

Token pulled away, wiping his hand on his pants in disgust while Clyde laughed. A another loud bang in the kitchen alerted both of them and they quickly readied their weapons and turned the corner. A rat scurried across the kitchen floor and into a whole next to the door. Four pans sat upside down on the floor.

"Rats."

"There's a huge sexy swing upstairs."

"A what?"

Token was completely taken back by what Clyde had just told him.

"I know!"

He laughed,

"Its hilarious, you've got to see it. Come on."

Clyde grabbed Token's hand, their fingers intertwining, and led him up the stairs and to a room on the left. He stopped at the open door, the giant master bedroom filled with nothing but a sex swing, a bed, and a collection of dildos in the corner.

"Oh my god, this isn't happening."

"That's what I said!"

After looking all day Clyde and Token were lucky enough to find a working vehicle. A Jeep Grand Cherokee sat abandoned in almost perfect condition. After cleaning out the gas tank and refilling it with fresh gas it was ready to roll.

In a few hours it would be morning and they'd be heading out, prepared to take on the world to get to safety. For now they were celebrating.

Stan pulled out a full bottle of Jim Bean, filling each of the twelve teens' cups.

"You know what I miss the most?" Tweek smiled, "coffee."

"I could've guessed that." Craig chuckled, throwing an arm over his boyfriend's shoulder.

"I know what you miss the most. Stripe."

"He was the best pet a kid could ask for."

"R.I.P"

Wendy chuckled before taking a sip of her drink.

"Kentucky Fried chicken..."

Cartman added to the list of things missed, a longing look on his face.

"YouTube." Ike commented, Tricia agreed.

"Porn." Clyde added, earning disgusted looks from some and agreeing looks from others.

"Gross." Wendy punched him in the side.

"Well what do you miss that's so great?"

Wendy looked up, her eyes moving across the room to Stan who stared at Kyle with a calm and loving expression. He turned and blue eyes met lavender. She quickly looked to her feet,

"I miss a bunch of things. Showers, privacy, my phone.. Oh, and ice cream."

"Ice cream. That's a good one."

Clyde lifted his drink to that before taking a swig.

"Pot." Kenny sighed causing the others to laugh.

"I'll drink to that." Craig agreed with a loud laugh before throwing back his cup. Tweek hit him in the shoulder, a chuckle on his lips. He wiped his mouth, looking over the group. His eyes landed on Stan.

"What about you, Stan? You're the one who started the party. What do you miss the most?"

Kyle turned to look at Stan, as did the rest of the group.

"Uh..."

They all had good answers. Everyone had said things that he missed. Except YouTube. That was a dumb answer.

"I miss toilet paper. It's unexpectedly difficult to find."

"Oh my god you're right." Clyde gasped loudly,

"I change my answer."

They laughed and joked, drinking from the bottle and shaking with laughter. Tomorrow was it, the day of reckoning. They would either making it the bunker to live their lives in peace or die trying. For tonight, they were just teens celebrating the glimmer of hope that had been bestowed upon them.


	7. Go on a Roadtrip, They Said

Green eyes stared in awe at the beauty the sleeping boy next to him radiated. His plump lips rested slightly open, soft breathes being blown at Tweek's face. Craig's tan skin was sprinkled with scars and bruises from years of mishaps.

His right arm draped over the smaller man, his bare forearm showing off a long white scar. He had gotten it protecting Ike years ago. Tweek sighed at the memory, moving closer to the man and resting his wild hair under Craig's chin. That had been the scariest four hours of Tweek's life.

He couldn't let anything like that happen again. He looked back up to Craig's snoring face, gently caressing a purple bruise that had blossomed on his cheek. All the horrible case scenarios that could happen on this trip ran through his mind like a marathon. The drive was almost two days long, how could something not go wrong? They had to rely on three cars, one of them not even protected by metal or weapons.

"Tweek..." Craig called out quietly,

"stop being creepy and let me sleep."

Heat filled his cheeks.

"It's not creepy."

Craig took a deep breath before finally opening his eyes and looking down at his boyfriend. Dark eyes met light.

"I woke up to you staring into my soul and then caressing my face."

Tweek chuckled before wrapping both his arms around Craig, letting his head rest on his chest.

"Do you think this bunker is really the answer?"

"I don't know... I hope so. Ike seems to think so."

"Ike thinks the slightest glimmer of hope will turn back time. Nothing will ever be the same."

He tightened his grip,

"Babe, I can't breath."

Craig chuckled although he sounded winded. Tweek couldn't help the tears that surfaced in the corners of his eyes as he pushed his face into his boyfriend's chest. What if he couldn't keep him safe? What if something happened and Craig was killed or turned?

"Tweek?"

Craig's voice was tinged with worry.

"Hey..."

He lifted his chin, wiping at his tears.

"Everything's going to be okay. We'll make it to the bunker and before you know it we'll be eating like kings."

He pushed his lips to Tweek's, before squeezing him tightly.

He lifted his arm and checked his watch, the glass cracked down the middle.

"It's already three." He sat up, taking their blanket with him and the cold wind engulfed Tweek.

"We should probably start taking everything out to the garage."

He wiped the sleep from his eyes with a yawn before looking back,

"Don't worry. Nothing bad is going to happen."

Craig got up, sliding his pants and a shirt on. Tweek watched him carefully. He was tense and moving frantically.

"Do you really believe that?"

He threw on his hat before finally turning back to Tweek, his brows furrowed and eyes wide.

"We have to."

"Why do I have to drive Cartman?"

Wendy asked in an annoyed tone.

"The plan up until this morning had been that I was going with Tricia, Tweek, and you."

Craig rolled his eyes.

"Listen, you got your wish for them to come. Now you have to drive them there."

"Okay. That's not fair, Tweek also voted for them to come and he's not being punished."

"Yeah, but you're not sleeping with him."

Ike butted in with a light snort, Craig pushed the smaller boy. He stumbled before sticking his tongue out at him.

"I cannot sit in a car for two days driving that fat ass around like I'm his chauffeur."

Craig looked over the bags filled with water bottles, food, clothes, weapons, and first aid shoved into the back of the challenger.

"I don't know what to tell you."

Wendy rolled her eyes with a huff and Craig couldn't help but chuckle at her defeat.

"If it gets too bad you can walkie-talkie Tricia to keep from killing him."

"Haha, you're hilarious."

She spat back in a sarcastic tone.

Craig closed the trunk, looking past Wendy and at Clyde, who was pouring fresh gas into the Jeep.

"You ready to roll out?"

He gave a thumbs up before closing the gas tank.

"Wendy, it's just two days."

He rested two reassuring hands on her shoulders,

"I believe in you."

"I hate you."

He smiled,

"I love you."

She rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Dickwad."

Tweek's leg shook uncontrollably in the passenger seat as he waited for Craig. He had tried to reassure the nervous boy over and over again that nothing bad would happen. They would drive out the garage and not stop until they made it to safety. It sounded simple enough but for some reason anxiety crept up his spine and circled his brain.

"Don't worry Tweek, we'll be there before you know it."

Tricia's small hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. She was so much like her brother. He smiled in her direction, although he couldn't help the fear that sat in the back of his mind.

Craig moved to the corner of the garage, pressing a button before the large doors began to creek and moan. They lifted up to reveal a thick forest to their left and a clear field to their right.

The driver's door opened and Craig sat down,

"You guys ready?"

He looked around at the three teens buckled to their seats.

"Ready."

Ike smiled brightly, excitement clear in his voice. Tweek bit his lip as they pulled forward, followed by the Jeep and then the Toyota.

They were almost off the field and to the road when out of nowhere screechers ran from the shadows of the forest. Tweek's heart sank as he watched a dozen of them attack the last vehicle of the group. They smashed into the small car with all their might, sending it flipping over as if in slow motion. Craig slammed on the brakes, as did Clyde behind them.

"Wendy!"

Tricia screamed for the only other girl of the group, her eyes wide with fear and surprise. She stood up, opening the sunroof and grabbing the machine gun Token and Clyde had installed on top months ago. The car was upside down now, the windows smashed from the weight of the screechers jumping on top of it. They tore the protective metal pieces from the front of the Toyota with ease, chewing on it in displeasure before moving onto the rest of the car.

Wendy and Cartman crawled through the windshield to make a run for it and Tricia shot at any of the screechers that attempted to follow them. Butters and Kenny were still in the backseat, screechers tearing at the crushed doors.

"What are they doing?"

Ike cried,

"Why aren't they running?"

"They might be hurt."

Craig spoke up, the grip he had on the PRNDL turned his hand red.

The trunk of the Jeep opened and Wendy and Cartman jumped in.

Tricia shot at the remaining screechers surrounding the car before Butters started out the windshield, pulling something out behind himself. With four screechers still surrounding the two boys the gun began to make a clicking noise.

"Damn!"

Tricia yelled, slamming a hand on the top of the challenger in frustration.

It happened in an instant, with no warning. One second Butters was telling Kenny to buckle his seat belt and the next thing he knew his head was being slammed against the window and the car felt like it was flying through the air.

Everything went silent and all he could hear was a buzzing noise. He looked around. The window to his right was broken, everything was upside down.

"-tters!"

His head was killing him.

"Butters!"

Was someone calling his name?

He closed his eyes in attempt to stop the throbbing of his brain but it didn't help.

"Cartman, run!"

Everything came rushing back with the sound of Wendy's yell. A deafening screech came from right outside his window along with the sound of gun shots. Butters turned to his left finding Kenny folded upside down on top of himself, his neck bent at an unnatural angle.

"Kenny?..."

Butters lifted a hand to the top of the car, unbuckling himself and falling over with an 'oof'.

"Kenny?"

He tried again. A screecher was right behind him, reaching in to grab at his foot before it fell to the ground with the shot of a bullet.

"Ken, wake up."

He grabbed the blonde, pushing him onto his back and shaking him furiously.

"Wake up!"

He was dead still and Butters felt a sob escape his lips. He couldn't have died. Not from a car crash of all things.

"Kenny, please!"

When no answer came he grabbed Kenny's arm, refusing to give up as he pulled him through the windshield to avoid the screechers on either side.

He was heavy, too heavy to run with.

Once finally out the front a screecher met his eyes. It came at him, moving in an inhuman way.

His instinct kicked in. He let go of Kenny's limp body and ran.

Wind pushed his tears back, he almost tripped in his frantic state but steadied himself. Wendy and Cartman grabbed his arms, hauling him into the cramped trunk and closing it behind him. He sat up, turning around to look outside the back as they drove away.

Kenny had been pulled completely out of the car, one of the screechers tore into his stomach while another chewed on his leg.

Tears fell from his eyes like waterfalls. How could he leave him there?

"You didn't have a choice."

Wendy's gentle hand rested on his shoulder and he quickly pushed her off. He curled into himself, shaking in hysteria.

"They killed Kenny!"

Stan yelled towards the front of the jeep, his heart racing at the sudden events.

"Those bastards!"

"Fuck!" Clyde slammed his hand into the steering wheel surprising the two boys in the backseat.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

Token's stared at his shoes with wide eyes, terror clear in his expression.

"We lost the Toyota..."

"God damnit!"

"What? Why is the Toyota so important?"

Stan sat up, holding onto the front seats so their speed wouldn't push him back.

"The gas..."

Token trailed, his eyes unblinking.

"What? What do you mean the gas?"

Kyle butted in with a yell, also sitting up to hear the conversation better.

"We moved the gas to the Toyota to fit the food, water, and bags in the back."

It was silent.

Stan stared at the two boys in disbelief.

"Please tell me I didn't hear you right."

"All of it?..."

Clyde wiped his face frantically, panic settling in.

"You put all of the gas in one trunk?!"

Stan yelled his question this time.

"Yes! All of it! We put all of the gas in the Toyota!"


	8. Ike Loses his Temper

Wendy sighed as she dabbed at the long cut on Butter's hairline. After picking out small shards of glass for hours it had finally stopped gushing blood. He needed stitches but Clyde refused to stop until they ran out of gas. He had practically begged Kyle, Stan, Cartman and Wendy to not walkie-talkie Craig. Their leader was going to kill him when he found out what him and Token had done. They'd killed them all. This easy two day drive had just turned into a month long journey on foot if they didn't find more gas.

Token had told him not to put the gas in one car. Over and over again, yet Clyde refused to listen. He was so stupid and now they were all going to die because of it.

He glanced down at the gas gauge, his brows knitted. They still had a good bit of gas but they'd only driven about 180 miles. They still had 1529 miles to go. At their best they could get 800 miles. That's still leaves a two week walk.

"I'm feeling a little woozy."

It was the first time Butters had talked since he'd seen the horrible sight of Kenny's body being torn apart. He stared blankly at one of the bags in the corner of the trunk, long since run out of tears to shed.

"Clyde, he needs stitches. We need to find somewhere to stop."

Wendy voice was stern, leaving no room for questions. He said nothing.

"Clyde."

Stan repeated for her. Clyde only bit his lip, his eyes glued to the road and his thoughts far from here.

"Clyde..."

Token spoke up, turning to face him.

"The longer we wait, the angrier they'll be."

One of Craig's hands rested on Tweek's thigh as he watched the road carefully for any sign of the dead. They had a habit of walking in front of cars and causing wrecks, kind of like deer. Except if they hit a deer, they could eat it. Mmm, deer meat. He would kill for a bowl of deer chili. Oh my god. His stomach growled at just the thought.

"Craig, please stop making those weird noises."

Tricia spoke up from the back seat, an annoyed expression on her face.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're literally mumbling about deer meat and making weird orgasm noises."

Ike chuckled, Tricia gave him a disgusted look before punching him in the arm.

"Don't use the word orgasm in any sentence about my brother ever again."

"To be fair, that's not what your brother's orgasms sounds like."

Tweek chuckled, watching Craig drive with content. Tricia and Ike's expressions were mortified.

"Ew! Don't tell me that!"

Ike punched Tweek's arm that was resting on the middle console. Static from the walkie-talkie stole the groups attention.

"...Craig..."

Token's voice broke through and he quickly picked up the communication device.

"What's going on?"

More static and then,

"...we need to stop. Butters needs stitches."

Craig's brows knitted,

"And you're just now telling me this?"

It was silent.

"We'll stop at the next pull off."

"...copy."

"Stop? I thought we going to drive straight there?"

Tweek asked, panic rising in his voice. Craig put the walkie-talkie down, glancing at Tweek's worried expression.

"Butters needs stitches. They can't shove a needle through him while we're driving."

"They could if they tried hard enough."

Ike commented from the backseat earning a giggle from Tricia.

"I just don't know if stopping is a great idea..."

Craig squeezed his thigh reassuringly.

"It'll only take a second. We can refuel while we're at it."

Tweek reluctantly nodded in agreement and they pulled off of an exit on the highway, stopping at the first lot they saw.

"You guys stay here." Craig glanced between Tricia and Tweek,

"Me and Ike will fill the tank and be right back."

"I want to help."

Tricia groaned.

"You can help on the next one. We've still got 24 hours to go."

She rolled her eyes,

"Whatever."

He closed the door on her, walking towards the Jeep that Clyde, Token, Kyle, and Stan were exiting. Clyde closed his door, turning to the dark haired man with an uneasy expression.

"Give me a bottle, I'm going to fill up while we're stopped."

Clyde stared at Craig with wide eyes, his mouth was open but words refused to come out. The taller man lowered his head, glaring with dark eyes.

"Clyde, What did you do?"

It was a question but it sounded more like a command.

"We..."

Clyde started, his brows knitted and an anxiety ridden expression plastered on his face. He looked to Token, who was just as scared, standing behind Craig and Ike.

"I-uh..."

he looked back to Craig, clearing his throat nervously.

"I moved the gas to the Toyota. I-I didn't know that would happen. I thought that if I made more room for-"

"You son of a bitch!"

Out of no where Ike pulled back a fist, surprising Clyde with a punch right to the eye.

"Ike! What the fuck?"

"You piece of shit!"

He punched him again and again, Clyde tried to block the younger boy but made no effort to hit back.

"Ike! Stop!"

He kicked him between the legs and the older boy fell to the ground with a hurt groan. Ike took this as an advantage, kicking him while he was down.

"You ruined our chance!"

He kicked him as hard as he could in the back.

"I trusted you!"

He stomped on his side. Clyde only covered his head, grinding his teeth at the pain that shot through his body with each of Ike's kicks. He deserved it. He ruined everything.

"Okay, that's enough."

Craig commanded in the same stern tone he had used before. Ike didn't listen, he barely heard him over his heart hammering in his ears.

"I said enough!"

Token, Kyle, and Stan all jumped as Craig's angry yell echoed in the empty parking lot. Ike paused, his breathing heavy. He turned from the beaten man on the concrete to Craig. His face softened as he realized Ike was crying. His cheeks were soaked and his eyes puffy.

"I know you're angry. We all are..."

Ike's brows knitted.

"...But we will get to that bunker, even if we have to walk. I promise."

"You don't even believe it's real."

Craig's jaw clenched as Ike spit the words.

"I didn't, but you do."

He looked at the others surrounding them. Being this sentimental in front of people made him feel very uncomfortable. He looked back to Ike, an expectant look on his wet face.

"I believe in you, Ike."

The younger boy seemed to calm down with these words.

"You know the way there like the back of your hand. If anyone can lead us... it's you."

Ike couldn't help the sad smile that formed on his lips. Craig really believed in him...

"Can this conversation be over now?"

Craig asked, his cheeks slightly pink in embarrassment. Ike nodded.

Kyle's brows knitted as he watched the interaction between the two. It was weird. He knew Ike had been taken in by Craig and the guys when all of this started... but it didn't really hit him until now that he had really bonded with them. He could tell how much Craig's words meant to Ike.

"What the hell happened?!"

Tricia's yell turned all their heads. Her and Tweek stood with confused faces outside the challenger.

"Babe, just..."

Craig stepped closer, gently resting his hands on Tweek's arms,

"Just don't freak out. Okay?"

Tweek's brows quickly knitted, his eyes going wide.

"Don't freak out? What do you mean don't freak out?"

His brilliant green eyes left Craig's, moving to look over the group behind him.

"Should I be freaking out??"

"See, you're already doing it."

He looked back to the taller man, his expression anxious.

"What happened?"

Craig opened his mouth but no words came out. He had promised Tweek just this morning that nothing would go wrong. Yet here he was, not even twenty four hours later and someone had already died. Now how was he suppose to tell him they might not make it to the bunker at all?

"We might be walking the rest of the way."

Tweek's jaw dropped. Tricia's expression hardened and she turned to the beaten boy on the concrete, a scary look on her face.

"What?"

Clyde asked in a nervous voice, preparing for the small girl to also attack.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Without a word she turned to the challenger, popping the trunk.

"What are you doing?"

She searched through the bags before finding her own.

"What is she doing?"

He looked to Ike beside him for an answer but he only shrugged. Clyde's question was answered when Tricia pulled a bow and arrow from the trunk, aiming at Clyde as she strung the arrow.

"Hey! Woah! Stop! No."

Craig and Tweek both quickly moved to grab the weapon from her, squeezing her shoulder to make sure she didn't try to grab it as they put it back in the trunk. Tweek sighed as he closed it, rubbing his eyes in frustration.

"Alright. How far is it on foot?"

He turned to Craig-

"A three week walk."

Ike answered before Craig could.

"That's without interruptions. Which I'm assuming there will be a lot of."

Ike glared down at Clyde, who's eye was already bruising.

"As long as we don't stop then there shouldn't be any."

Craig stated, looking between Kyle and Stan.

"Ouch."

Butters hissed as Wendy pushed the curved needle through his forehead, stitching the deep gash back together.

"Cartman, it's bleeding-"

"Yeah, yeah, I see it."

Cartman poured some of the mini bottle of vodka onto the thin cloth, both taken from the first aid kit Wendy had pulled out of her bag.

"Ouch!"

"I said dab lightly!"

"I did dab lightly!"

"No, you're literally punching him in the head!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Would you just do what I say, please! He's your friend! I'm just trying to help!"

"Hey, I thought we were friends."

"No one wants to be your friend Butters!"

Cartman yelled at the smaller boy and Wendy pushed him.

"Don't talk to him like that!"

"You said it first!"

Cartman pushed Wendy

"Ouch!"

Butters yelled as he grabbed at the string attaching the needle in Wendy's hand to his head.

"I'm so sorry Butters!-"

"Could you two please stop fighting!"

Tears threatened to leave Butters light blue eyes.

"I just watched my best friend die and then get eaten, and now I have to go through getting a giant needle shoved in my head! Could we just sit here in silence for two god damn minutes while you fix my head so I don't bleed out!"

Cartman gave Butters an annoyed stare.

"Calm down Butters, we were just joking. Sheesh."

Wendy glared at the bigger man.

"Just dab the blood away from the wound. Gently."

"GeNtLy."

Cartman mocked in a high pitched obviously annoying tone. Wendy only rolled her eyes before continuing to sew up Butter's wound.


	9. I Cheated Death & He Wants a Divorce

Electric blue eyes opened to blinding sunlight and a gasp of fright escaped his lips. Kenny quickly sat up, sweat drenching his body. His last memory was one of those cringey screecher things looking down at him. He frantically examined his surroundings. He was in the back of the Jeep, the seats put down for more room and a blanket underneath him. He listened for the gun shots and screams that had filled his ears only seconds ago, but it was completely silent other than the sound of birds tweeting.

"You alright?"

Kenny jumped at the tired voice, turning around to find short blonde hair and worried blue eyes staring him down. A new, long, poorly sewn cut ran from the end of his right eyebrow to his hairline.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

Kenny looked out the window to his left seeing nothing but forest surrounding them. Craig and Stan stood on either side of the tree lines, guns in hands, as the sun came over the horizon. Kenny felt like he couldn't catch his breath.

He was alive.

He was in the Jeep, on the trip to the bunker in Virginia.

How was this possible? Had it all just been a bad dream? It felt so real. So painful.

"Ken?"

Butters gently rested a hand on his shoulder and Kenny jumped.

"What happened?"

He knew he sounded crazy but he was so confused. It could have been a dream- but that wouldn't explain why he couldn't remember the rest of the day...

"What do you mean?"

Butters brows knitted in concern. Kenny's eyes fell to his hands and he rubbed at his face in frustration. Was he going insane?

"I just- can you just give me a run of the day? Please."

Butters stared at Kenny like he had grown a third head.

"Uh... of yesterday?"

"Yes! Of yesterday!"

"...yeah. Sure."

He sounded confused but still entertained Kenny's break down.

"We left for the bunker early, around four in the mourning."

He paused, looking over the shaken boy.

"When we got in the Toyota and drove off the screechers attacked. They took out the car and..."

"And what?"

Butter's light eyes fell,

"..Token died when the car flipped."

Kenny's heart sunk.

He was the one who died in that car crash. Not Token.

"He wasn't even suppose to be riding with us. Wendy didn't want to drive with Cartman so she begged Token and he-"

"What happened after that?"

Kenny asked frantically, surprising the younger boy.

"Uh... Well, Clyde put all the gas in the Toyota and there was a fight..."

Butters moved closer to Kenny, a worried expression plastered on his face.

"You don't remember any of this?"

"Just tell me!"

Kenny's yell came out more aggressive than he meant for it to be causing Butters to jump.

"We ran out of gas around three in the morning and pulled into a clearing in the forest to keep out of sight. You took first shift because it was shortest and then you fell asleep as soon as you laid down."

Kenny ran his hands though his hair, none of what Butters was saying clicked in his memory. All he could see when he closed his eyes was that damn screecher, the skin of its jaw ripped open as his own flesh fell from its mouth.

None of this was making sense. Token had been the one to die in the car crash? He remembered so clearly the pain of his neck hitting the roof of the car, hearing the blood curling snap...

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He answered maybe too quick.

"I just had a bad dream, it felt-" he took a shaky breath as a chill made its way down his spine, "it felt really real."

Butters reached for Kenny to comfort him but the taller quickly stood up, opening the trunk of the Jeep and jumping out.

The sun blinded him momentarily, the green and browns surrounding him looked red. Like blood. Like his blood. No. Not his blood, Token's blood.

"Kenny!"

He hadn't realized he was falling until his head slammed into the ground, bouncing on the dirt beneath them. Stan threw his gun strap over his shoulder, quickly running towards them with a yell.

The blonde attempted to find his footing as Stan helped him up but his legs were weak. He could feel the pain of his death, his leg being bitten into like a steak. His intestines being ripped out and devoured like sausage links. His stomach turned and bile made its way up his throat, Stan yelled out in disgust as he dropped the limp boy.

Kenny caught himself with his hands this time, thanking his reflexes for not letting him bust his head open on the rock below him.

"Is he infected?"

Craig quickly pulled his gun up, aiming it at Kenny's head. Without a second thought Butters stepped in front of him.

"He's not infected."

"Get out of the way Butters, or I'll shoot you too."

"Craig!"

Tweek's voice caught his attention as he got out the challenger and sped towards them.

"What're you doing?"

He asked in an exasperated tone, examining the scene in front of him.

"He almost passed out and then threw up. Tell me what that sounds like, Tweek."

"He's not infected!"

Butters repeated and Craig scowled at him with dark tired eyes. Tweek pushed the barrel of Craig's gun to the ground,

"We don't kill our friends."

The dark haired man met his boyfriend's angry expression with his own.

"If they're infected we do."

"I'm fine!"

Kenny yelled, stealing both the boys attention. He slowly gained his composure and stood to his feet, pushing Butters away when he tried to help.

"I'm fine. I just felt a little nauseous, I'm not going to eat you in your sleep Craig."

He wiped the puke from his lips with his sleeve, meeting Craig's skeptical glare. He was pale and sweaty, the perfect picture of an infected person.

"I'll keep an eye on him."

Butters stated, attempting to reassure the leader of the group.

"If he turns?"

"...I'll deal with it myself."

He stated, a steely expression on his face.

"You can do it?"

"Yes."

Craig glanced back to his boyfriend who gave him an expectant nod.

"Fine. Keep a close eye on him."

The Jeep door was suddenly slammed open, a loud, exaggerated yawn grabbing everyone's attention.

Cartman exited the vehicle, scratching his ass as he closed the door behind him. When he turned to look at the group his eyes fell on Kenny, who looked near death, and then at the vomit on the ground.

"Oh, god damnit! I missed something else?!"

Clyde only watched his feet as they walked through the forest. He could hear the others talking around him. They were being too loud, being in an zombie free environment only worked if you tried to keep it that way. That's what Token would have told them if he were here... but he wasn't here. So screw them all.

"Clyde, how's your face feeling?"

Cartman chuckled as he sped up to walk past him.

"How's you're nub feeling?"

Clyde shot back. Cartman flicked him off, his index finger nothing but a short scarred nub, before treading past to talk to Kyle.

Ike had beat the hell out of Clyde when they'd stopped the other day. To be fair, he'd really let Ike go so far because he needed to feel something. It wouldn't hit him that Token, his best friend, was dead. Clyde kept waiting for him to say something or to give him that stupid reassuring look. The pain in his face and back sure as hell reminded him.

"Are you gonna let Craig continue to steal your brother?"

Kyle rose an eyebrow as he turned from the woods in front of them to the blue and brown eyes staring him down with a quizzical expression.

"What're you talking about Cartman?"

He turned back to the forest ahead, stepping over a large tree branch with caution. Ike and Craig lead the group from the front, the younger held the map at arms length while Craig pointed between it and their surroundings.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. He just found out you were alive after four years and the most time you've spent together was the first hour we got to the school."

"...He's been busy."

Kyle excused.

"Well, we've got a month of travel for you two to catch up. That is, if he decides to make time for you, instead of his new family."

"Shut up, Cartman."

Stan commented as he caught up with them, swinging an arm over Kyle's shoulder.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, as usual."

He only threw his hands up in defense, a nonchalant expression on his face.

"Hey, I'm just tellin' it how it is. Isn't that right Butters?"

Cartman yelled to the two boys walking just behind them.

"Please don't drag me into this."

Cartman scoffed,

"Whatever."

Butters looked back to Kenny who only stared at the ground with haunted eyes. What had he seen that had shaken him up so much? He was fine after the crash yesterday. Why was he suddenly traumatized after one bad dream?

"You alright?"

The blonde finally looked up, his expression quickly changing.

"I should be asking you the same thing."

He smiled, stepping a little quicker to stay next to the shorter man. Butters lifted a hand to his head, gently feeling the rising skin of where his stitches were.

"It definitely hurts but, I'll get through the pain. I'm just glad I don't have a splitting headache."

"Bridge up ahead!"

Craig interrupted them as he called back the to rest of the group.

A long yet thin dinky bridge sat over a flowing river, the sides missing of rails of any kind.There was a sign next to the front of the bridge but the teens ignored it as they started to cross.

"We must be in some type of national forest."

Wendy spoke up before looking into the river below. The current was strong, leading down to a couple of short waterfalls. It was kind of beautiful.

"Gross. I never would've gone to a national forest before this all happened. What's so fun about walking around in nature completely sober?"

Kenny spoke up from next to Butters.

"Agreed."

Stan laughed.

A loud gunshot suddenly rang out through the air causing all but one of the group to jump. Cartman stood confidently at the back, a gun in his right hand with his middle finger on the trigger. One Z, a man no older than forty with a missing eye, laid dead at the entrance of the bridge.

Craig's eyes grew wide before he pushed his way to the back of the group, turning Cartman around quickly and throwing a fist across his face.

"Why the fuck would you do that, you fucking psychopath!"

He yelled with an angry, surprised tone. Loud groaning suddenly came from behind Cartman, Zs of all sizes and ages slowly made their way towards the entrance to the bridge.

"Fuck."

Craig spat.

The teens quickly started their way towards the opposite end of the bridge. Until a loud screech lit up the sky.

"Fuck!"

A large group of screechers were running from the edge of the forest, getting closer to them by the second. They were cornered. Both groups of the dead too big to fend off.

Wendy looked over the edge of the bridge and down to the river. The currents were deadly, not to mention the sharp boulders sticking out from each corner.

...But jumping was a better chance of survival than this was, and that's all that mattered.

"We have to jump! The current will be too fast for them to grab us."

"Yeah or the current will be too strong and we'll drowned!"

Cartman yelled back.

"I'd rather drown than be eaten alive."

She hugged Tricia, wrapping her arms through the younger girl's book bag straps and gripping her tight. Tricia copied the movement.

"Whatever happens, do not let go of me."

Tricia nodded before looking into the dangerous, cold waters.

"Promise we won't drown."

Tricia's voice was shaky as she commanded Wendy to promise the impossible. Wendy bit her lip, looking around at the zombies getting closer.

"I promise."

Tricia nodded, closing her eyes tight as they both jumped from the edge.

As soon as they hit the water they were swept away.

"Holy shit."

Tweek huffed, his eyes wide. Zs groaned as they got closer, the smell of rotting flesh getting stronger with each step. They each looked over the edge, nervous expressions on each of their faces as they prepared themselves to jump.

"Remember, the key to getting across is to swim up stream."

Craig spoke up, causing the others to turn to him.

"Is that true?"

Clyde asked.

"I don't know. I saw it on tv somewhere."

"Great. That's helpful, Craig."

He shot back sarcastically before jumping with a yell.

Tweek grabbed Craig's hand, squeezing it tight before they jumped over the edge as well.

Kyle tried to follow them with his eyes as they were rushed down stream, but they were quickly torn apart and pulled under.

They were going to drown.

Stan's hands gripped his shoulders, turning him to meet his blue eyes.

"We're going to be separated in the water. I need you to promise me you'll try to find me."

Kyle's brows knitted. How could he ask such a question?

"Of course I would try to find you."

Stan's jaw clenched at his words.

"I promise."

He brought a hand to Stan's cheek, lowering his face so he could kiss him.

There was a splash from behind him, Cartman must've jumped.

He pulled away.

"I'll look for you."

Kyle nodded and Stan stepped off the edge, Kyle followed right behind.

Butter and Kenny jumped last, Kenny attempting to hold onto Butters as they were pulled by the river.


	10. I’m Taking A Break, Thank You Very Much

Craig struggled to keep his head above the powerful current but the more he struggled the harder it got. He pushed up stream, wrestling against the water with all his strength.

"Tweek!"

He called for his boyfriend, looking around frantically for the boy's wild hair.

"Twee-"

He was cut off as water flooded his mouth and he was pulled under again, scrapping his knees on the rough rocks at the bottom of the river. As soon as he was above water he was gasping for air, his lungs burning.

"Tricia!"

He spit the remaining water from his mouth as he called for his younger sister, praying to whatever god was listening that her, Ike, and Tweek were okay.

"Ike!"

Without any kind of warning he was thrown over a short water fall, his temple bashing against a large rock before his body went limp in the flowing water. He sunk into the shallow as the river pulled him in any direction it pleased, slamming him into sharp rocks or boulders.

An arm wrapped around his torso and under his armpit, tugging him above the waves.

"Come on, Craig!"

Kenny huffed as he rested the back of the dark haired man's head on his shoulder to keep it above water. After the short yet ridged waterfall the current seemed to die down slightly but getting the limp man to shore was definitely not an easy feat.

Kenny practically threw Craig to the dirt as he climbed out of the water, falling tiredly to his stomach to catch his breath.

He watched Craig's blank expression from where his head laid lazily on the ground. Kenny's brows knitted when the man made no effort to move.

"Craig?"

He asked.

No answer.

"God damnit,"

he quickly got to his knees, looking over the leader of their large group with worried eyes. He didn't know CPR. Why wasn't this taught in high school? They needed the pythagorean theorem but not CPR??? He tried to remember anything he had seen in movies or tv shows that would help before moving into action.

He squeezed Craig's nose closed with two fingers before opening his mouth and tipping back his chin, blowing oxygen into his lungs.

He pulled away, pushing on his chest with heavy pumps and hoping that he was putting pressure in the right place.

"Come on dude, wake up."

He pleaded before going back to blowing oxygen into his lungs. He was surprised to feel Craig move underneath him, coughing up water and gasping for breath.

Kenny sighed in relief before quickly wiping at his mouth. Craig's eyes were wide as he desperately examined his surroundings, lifting a shaky hand to his bloody forehead with a wince.

He turned to Kenny,

"Where're the others? Where's Tweek?"

Kenny sat back, leaning against his hands, exhausted from saving the larger man.

"You know, you could thank me for saving your life. I could've let you die."

Craig's expression grew angry only confusing the blonde before him.

"Why did you save me? Why didn't you save Tricia? Why didn't you save Ike? Someone who needed saving!"

He quickly got to his feet searching the other side of the river for any sign of their group. Kenny stared up at him, exasperated.

"I didn't see Ike or Tricia need saving. I saw you. Drowning, might I add."

He spat at the ungrateful man.

Craig was still heaving his breathes in attempt to catch them. Although, Kenny wasn't sure if it was because of the almost dying part, or the near panic he was in.

"Okay, we'll go back to the bridge. I'm sure they'll meet us there."

Craig stated, already making a plan to get back on track. Kenny still hadn't moved from his spot on the ground, watching the agitated man with tired eyes.

"Can you tell me which way that is?"

He asked calmly, which made it sound like he was mocking the now pacing man. Craig looked up stream, his heart dropping when he realized he had no idea where they were. He had gotten so confused and disoriented in the water he didn't even know which way they had come from.

"We also don't have any supplies anymore."

The dark haired man went to reach for his backpack strap, not realizing the weight on his back had been lifted before Kenny pointed it out.

He clenched his jaw as he continued to search the river for familiar bodies.

"We need to find them."

He turned to Kenny,

"Now."

The blonde gave an aggravated sigh, his brows scrunched and his jaw slightly dropped.

"Dude."

He started in an unbelieving tone.

"You just died. For like a whole minute or two. You don't want to, I don't know, take a breather?"

Craig only stared with expectant eyes.

"Look."

Kenny started,

"It's almost sunset, why don't we find some new supplies and get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll follow the river upstream and try to find the bridge."

He finally stood up, sliding off his soaking wet jacket to tie around his waist.

"You hit your head really hard. Take it easy."

He patted Craig's arm reassuringly before turning in the opposite direction and starting a brisk pace.

"You take it easy."

Craig mocked under his breath before begrudgingly following.

It had taken hours before any glimmer of hope was displayed before the two boys. They had walked for so long the sun was minutes from disappearing when they finally found a bridge that led them out of the forest. What looked like a small gas station sat just to the right.

The boys were surprised to find the door completely broken down and the shelves and counters destroyed.

"Looks like this place was already raided-"

Kenny whispered as he slowly stepped through the threshold, glass cracking under his shoes. Craig quickly grabbed his arm, stopping him from taking another step. When Kenny turned to question him Craig nodded his head towards a shadow at the other side of the store. The shadow was still but it was obvious the leader had no intention of taking a chance.

The dark haired man looked around for anything to use as a weapon, grabbing a sharp piece of wood on the ground from where the door had been kicked down.

He took the lead, stepping past Kenny and into the station with both hands gripping the makeshift weapon tight.

It was silent as he walked to the end of the station, preparing to slam the sharp wood into someone or something's head.

Kenny followed close behind, a nervous expression on his face.

As soon as they turned the last shelf they were faced with an isle of dead bodies.

An older man and woman sat in the very corner, a gun laying loosely in the woman's hand while their heads rested again each other. A single bullet had pierced their brains.

Two young girls laid dead and decaying on the floor, a bullet hole in each of their foreheads. Lastly a boy no younger than Craig and Kenny leaned against the wall closest to them, his shotgun settled comfortably under his chin. The bullet had come out the top of his head, just missing the goggles nestled in his brown hair

It was a family.

"That's so fucked up."

Kenny whispered,

"Who could kill their own children?"

"Someone who didn't want them to suffer."

Before anything else could be said a loud bang and a screech came from behind them causing both the boys to jump. In his panic, while turning around Craig accidentally hit Kenny with his stick. Kenny reached for the knot already forming on the back of his head, giving Craig a growl and death glare.

"Sorry."

A screecher banged on the metal door behind them, locked from top to bottom. The door shook at the strength of the monster on the other side.

"Let's just get what we need and get out of here."

Kenny walked away from the door at a brisk pace, a shiver running down his spine. Just the sound of it's screech brought pain back to his body, brought back the fear he felt... but it was a dream. Token had died. Not him.

He shook the thought from his head as soon as it had entered. He walked through isle after isle in search of anything useful without luck. Everything had been taken already, the once booming gas station was now a skeleton of walls and shelves.

Something in the corner of his eyes caused him to turn, a wall of glass freezers were almost completely empty other than the one twelve pack of bud light glowing like an angel in the darkness. A smile lit up his face as he sped towards the alcoholic beverages, slamming the door open and grabbing the old, warm, heavy twelve pack.

"Nice."

His moment of triumph was interrupted as he heard Craig huff and the sound of a body being dropped carelessly.

His brows knitted as he thought back to the dead family he could hear Craig stealing from.

Why hadn't they kept going? It was hard, yeah, but it was worth it. To survive for your family and friends. To find the small things that made you happy until the day you were bit and they had to kill you.

Like Karen...

"Kenny."

The blonde's thoughts were interrupted by Craig and he quickly turned to him.

"You alright?"

Craig had a large, blue, bloody backpack on, a shotgun in his hand, and goggles nestled comfortably in his dark hair.

"Did you take those goggles from that dead boy?"

He asked, shellshocked that Craig would do something so disrespectful

"Yeah, they're pretty cool, like sunglasses that don't fall off."

He chuckled nonchalantly making the smaller of the two roll his eyes.

"Is that a twelve pack of beer?"

Kenny lifted the sizable pack of alcohol in his hand. Bud light definitely wasn't his beer of choice but at the moment it sounded godly.

"Bud light."

"Nice."

Craig smiled, adjusting the pack on his back.

"Yeah, they were all out of bullets except for their son."

He lifted the shotgun in his hand to show it off,

"But at least we have something to protect us from a hoard."

Kenny nodded in agreement, although they really needed something to cover the cut on Craig's forehead before it started bleeding again. Dried blood stained all the way from his eyebrow, down the right side of his face, and onto his jacket.

"You ready to go?"

Kenny nodded, pacing out the door in a quick manner. Craig followed him out as they turned right in search of somewhere at least somewhat safe to rest.

"So what's in the bag?"

Kenny tried to start a conversation after walking in silence for a while. Craig wasn't much of a talker, the exact opposite of Kenny.

"A few good things. They didn't have any food but they do have quite a good supply"

"Guess we're having beer for dinner."

Craig chuckled,

"Bud Light it is."

Craig dangled his legs carelessly from the concrete bridge, Kenny sat to his left crisscrossed with a beer between his legs. Craig showed him the products of the stolen bag, a good bit of useful supplies stuffed inside it.

A hunting knife, a canteen half filled, rope, a first aid kit, a flashlight, and four half empty bottles of all kinds of pain meds.

"Their son must've been a junkie. I found all of these in his bag."

Craig looked over the name of each of the bottles, confusion taking over his face at the names he couldn't even pronounce. Kenny flinched at the word.

Junkie.

That's what people called his parents. That's what he had called them until he followed in their foot steps. In freshmen year of high school he had tried a cocktail of pills to get over the stress of high school and working two jobs to help pay for the rent his junkie parents were suppose to be paying. He thanked god he hadn't gotten addicted, he'd seen what withdrawals were like and he didn't think he would've survived that hell while fighting off the dead and taking care of his little sister. Kenny stared at the bottles in Craig's hand intensely, his jaw clenching at the thought.

"Can I hold them?"

Craig turned to meet electric blue eyes, a brow raised before he handed the small bottles over.

Gabapentin

Vyvanse

Adderall

Oxycodone

His hand tightened on the bottles. He'd taken all of these before, the beautiful effects of each of them filling his mind. God he didn't want to feel anything anymore.

Without another words he opened one at a time, pouring one of each into his hand. Except for the gabapentin, he poured six of those into his hand.

"What're you doing?"

Craig quickly asked, concern and confusion taking over his voice.

"Relax, it's just one of each. Besides the gabapentin doesn't do anything for health but stop seizures, which none of us have."

Without another word he threw them back all at once, struggling to swollow them with the piss flavored beer.

"Kenny, what the hell?!"

The blonde poured out the same amount of pills into his hand again, only pouring four gabapentin into his hand this time.

"Take these."

Craig stared with wide eyes, Kenny ignored the crazy look the leader was giving him.

"No! Why would I do that?!"

"Because it'll feel good and this is the only chance you'll get where you can."

"That's a waste of medicine-"

"It's only one of each! Just take'em dude. This is the last chance you'll get, don't be a pussy."

Craig glared in an angry silence but Kenny seemed unfazed as he grabbed the dark haired man's hand and dropped seven pills into it. One large, round, and white, one blue, one orange, and four smaller white ones. Kenny watched him expectantly,

"How do you even know what this stuff does?"

"Because I do, now shove them down your throat or I'll do it for you."

Craig sighed, looking around the empty bridge for any signs of danger.

"I promise they won't affect our fighting if it comes down to that. It might even enhance your concentration!"

He added excitedly

"Besides, we have a gun. What could possibly go wrong?"

Craig sighed heavily,

"They won't make me act stupid?"

"They can't change your personality, Craig."

Kenny shot back and Craig punches him in the arm.

"Fine, asshole."

He shoved the seven pills into his mouth, chugging the rest of his beer to help it down. He wiped his mouth when he was done before turning to Kenny.

"Now what?"

"Now we wait."

He smiled with a charming raise of his eyebrows.


	11. I Hate Dungeons

Craig's head felt full yet somehow relaxed. Thoughts jumped around his mind uncontrollably, moving so fast that if he didn't say one out loud he'd forget it and have to move on to the next. The headache he had before was completely gone and the bruises and cuts he'd freshly acquired were completely numb. Somehow everything seemed less important, as if this moment was the only thing he really needed. He knew it wasn't true. Although he liked the feeling it gave him, he hated the idea of being so happy while his family could be in danger.

"Do you remember when you and Tweek got in that huge fight back in elementary school?"

Kenny asked randomly, a chuckle at the end of his sentence. Craig couldn't help but smile at the thought. They had gotten in so much trouble they were almost expelled, all over a few insults that turned out weren't even Tweek's.

"I didn't find out it was you guys until middle school."

Kenny busted into a loud laughter that Craig quickly shushed, although he couldn't help but giggle too.

"I never thought in a thousand years he'd end up being the love of my life."

Craig's lips sported a goofy grin as he held his beer between his legs.

"What about you?"

Kenny lifted an eyebrow as dark blue eyes met light,

"What about me?"

"You and Butters? Is that not a thing that's going on?"

Kenny's calm expression quickly changed, a defensive and confused look taking over his face.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He took a frantic sip of his beer as Craig stared at him expectantly.

"Come on. The way you look at him? The way he looks at you? If you two aren't dating then their must be some-"

"Would you shut up. You don't know what you're talking about."

Kenny's voice was much sterner than Craig's playful attitude. The dark headed man chuckled at the soft spot he had found in his new friend.

"Fine."

Craig followed the blonde's actions and tipped back his beer, finishing it off.

"Another,"

He held his hand out and Kenny slid a second bottle between his fingers without question.

"Where were you the day everything ended?"

"Yeah, that's way less depressing than talking about your love life."

Kenny rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious. How did you end up taking care of Kyle's little brother?"

Craig shrugged,

"He was with Tricia when I found her. By accident I'm sure, she'd never brought him up before then but... I'm glad she did."

He took a sip of his beer,

"What about you? I don't remember you guys even being at school that day."

"We weren't. The boys had skipped... I overslept. As soon as I saw what was going on I took Karen away from our idiot parents and ran."

Kenny's grip on his bottle tightened at the mention of his baby sister. If he hadn't of taken her away from their parents would she have lived? He was the cause of her death, so he couldn't help the thought from crossing his mind.

"I found Stan and the guys not too far from my house, fleeing from some type of riot in the middle of town."

Craig nodded to show he was listening, but his eyes stayed glued to the gorgeous waterfalls below them.

"So Karen..."

"She died a week ago."

Kenny was silent for a long moment and then,

"I was high the day she got bit."

Craig's brows knitted and he quickly looked over to the shorter man. He didn't know what to feel. Anger? Sympathy? He couldn't really say any words of comfort because in the end, it really was Kenny's fault.

"I'd taken from a pharmaceutical we came across and lied to the group."

"What did you take?"

"Oxys, hydros, gabis, xanaxs."

He sighed.

"Really struck gold with the benzos... For a while I couldn't feel anything. The group just thought I was always cheerful but... she knew."

He wanted to cry. He felt the heaviness behind his eyes, the pain in his chest, but the drugs that flowed in his veins kept him numb. It was as if all of his pain and anxieties were trapped deep down inside screaming to be released but they were kept prisoner so Kenny could feel good for just a few short hours. So, instead, he stared at the flowing water, unblinking and unfeeling.

"With everything we'd grown up with there's no way she didn't."

He chugged his beer in record time, coughing when he pulled the empty bottle away.

"Slow down dude, we already took those pills. There's no way you should be chugging back beers one after another like that."

"Or what? I'll die?"

He asked in a sarcastic tone before grabbing another beer from the box and opening it lazily.

"Yes. You'll die, is that what you want? To go kamikaze and leave everyone who cares about you behind?"

Craig spat in a hard tone, a skeptical look on his face. Kenny only shrugged, before rolling his head to the side his small smile contrasting with the dark haired man's scowl.

"You don't have to worry, I'm suicide proof."

Craig didn't seem to find this joke as funny as Kenny did.

"Oh, come on Craig, lighten up and pull the stick out of your ass. For one night you don't have to lead a group, you don't have to worry about Ike and Tricia and Tweek-"

"Except I am worried about them."

Kenny rolled his eyes before lifting his beer to take another sip.

"Aren't you worried about Butters?"

Kenny paused, the bottle in his hand halfway to his mouth. The scrawny boy flashed through his head, the gash on his head bruising. He would be okay, right?

He tipped back his beer,

"I'm too high to think about what might be happening to the others."

He finished off the bottle and threw it over the edge before reaching a hand back into the box and grabbing another.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Craig asked, watching Kenny crack open his fourth bottle with a satisfying hiss.

"You just did, but shoot."

"Do you think the bunker is real? Or like, really gonna work out?"

Kenny shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as he took a sip.

"Probably not."

"Yeah."

Craig agreed, his voice sad compared to Kenny's mellow attitude.

"That doesn't... bother you at all?"

"Not really. I mean, this is the apocalypse, you have to always expect the worst. But you also have to try to stay optimistic so you don't kill yourself."

"Seems contradicting."

"It is."

He took a big gulp of his beer before wiping his mouth. Those uppers had his mind going a hundred miles an hour, thoughts coming and going like bullet trains in his brain. Yet, that oxy had him feeling like he could fly.

Without any kind of warning a loud rustling came from the forest to their right. Craig quickly got to his feet, stumbling on his way up, and lifting his gun with an unsteady hand.

"Chill out, it's probably just a squirrel or something, it's a whole ass forest-"

"Drop you're weapon!"

A feminine scream echoed in the air, proving Kenny wrong. A small girl fled from the forest, a machine gun tight in her grip. Kenny's eye grew wide in surprise.

"On your feet!"

She yelled, cocking and aiming her gun.

Wait a minute.

Kenny's brows knitted as he looked over the girl again. He knew her. He had to. She was so familiar...

Unlike Craig, Kenny took his time finding his feet as he examined her. Her dull brown hair was pulled up in a bun and out of her face except for the few short strands that covered her forehead. She wore a dark green sweater and brown jeans.

"Heidi?..."

Kenny couldn't help the name that slipped from his lips. She quickly moved her gun from Craig to Kenny, her brown eyes wide.

He could tell she had lost weight due to her tight clothes, although her skin was still riddled with pimples and bumps.

Craig took a slow step forward but she stopped him with a shot next to his feet. He lost his footing, almost falling to his ass but steadying himself last minute.

"I said drop it dumbass! Do you want to die??"

In the blink of an eye someone was grabbing Kenny from behind, wrapping a hand around his chest and holding something sharp against his throat with the other.

Heidi was momentarily distracted by the sight, giving Craig a chance to grab the brunette by the neck and push the barrel of his shotgun to her head.

"Let him go."

The girl holding Kenny hostage had a short bright red bob, her blue eyes holding Craig's with an intenseness that made his heart skip a beat.

"Only if you come with us."

"How about you go fuck yourself."

Kenny held his hands up in surrender as she pushed the knife deeper into his jugular, inhaling sharply as a small speckle of blood dripped down the blade to his pale neck.

"I said, let him go Red!"

Craig commanded in an angrier tone this time, his shotgun pointed directly at Heidi's head. Her nails dug into the skin of his forearm wrapped around her neck, although her expression remained blank and fearless.

Heidi slammed the back of her head into his, a loud 'oof' escaping his lips. She stomped on his foot before ramming the bud of her gun into his stomach causing him to quickly loose his balance and fall to the ground. Craig cursed the drugs in his veins for making him so fucking weak. She pointed the barrel of her machine gun to his forehead, his eyes wide with fear and defeat.

"Heidi."

Red called the girls name with a stern voice.

"We're not killing them yet."

Heidi growled rebelliously before snatching Craig's weapon and removing her own gun from its threatening position.

"Fine."

Craig and Kenny walked ahead of the two girls they hadn't seen since high school. Each of them pointing a gun at the boy's backs, leading them where ever they pleased.

"This is your fault."

Craig growled quietly in Kenny's direction.

"And why is that, Craig?"

"If you hadn't forced me to take those stupid pills I could've fought back. We both could've fought back and overpowered them-"

"They have a machine gun, I'm pretty sure we couldn't win."

"We had a shotgun-"

"Yeah, the shotgun that you gave up. You could've shot her when you had a chance!"

His whisper was harsher now, anger bubbling up inside his chest at the blame Craig was putting on him.

"I didn't force you to do anything! You could've said fuck off and you know that-"

"You know what, I'm so sick of yo-"

Craig was hit roughly in the back with his own shotgun, causing him to stumble.

"Would you two shut up. Jesus Christ, boys are so stupid."

"We haven't seen you two since high school, the least you could do is give a decent hello. No need to be such bitchfaces."

Kenny spoke up in a light hearted tone, the girls only rolled their eyes.

"Shut up. We're almost there."

Red demanded without a second thought,

"almost where?"

Craig asked before he almost tripped face first over a large rock hidden in the grass.

"Jesus!"

How was Kenny having such an easy time? While Craig was struggling just to walk in a straight line the other was strolling casually through tall grass and thick branches. He couldn't lie, it pissed him beyond belief.

"Blind folds on."

Heidi roughly stopped him in his tracks with a hand on the back of his neck.

"Blind fold?"

Before he could even get the question out a thick piece of cloth was pulled over his eyes. His hat was discarded to the side and his hair knotted into the tied cloth.

"Really? My hat?"

"Keep walking-"

"Well I would but I can't see shit-oof!"

He was pushed with hostile hands, falling face first to the ground and eating dirt along the way.

"Craig?"

Kenny called his name in a worried tone. Craig could only assume they'd covered his vision as well. He spit the dirt from his mouth and shook it from his hair,

"I'm alright."

One of the two girls gripped onto his arm and yanked him to his feet ungracefully.

"Now walk."

Craig had lost track of how long they'd been walking. To be honest he'd lost track a long time ago. Heidi had to keep him on a straight path because he kept swaying back and forth.

The sound of feet stomping on wood alerted him, his head quickly lifting at the sound.

"Lift your feet."

He did as told but almost missed what he guessed was a porch. There was the sound of a creaking door and then old music playing in the background. His brows knitted.

Another door was opened and closed, the music dying behind them, before they were stopped in their tracks.

The blindfold was yanked from his head, an annoyed 'ouch' leaving his lips as his hair was pulled.

He examined his surroundings finding nothing but a dull hanging lightbulb and what looked like never ending stairs. Kenny stood beside him with a clenched jaw as he stared down into the dark.

Heidi and Red poked at the boys with their weapons before they took an uncertain step down the stairs.

Craig was waiting for a gun shot.

To hear that Kenny had been killed and he'd be next.

That had to be what this was.

They were going to take their supplies and then leave them at the bottom of the stairs to rot.

He wouldn't get to tell Tweek what happened. What if he was looking for him? Even worse, what if he found him? What if he and Kenny had been rotting at the bottom of these stairs for weeks before Tweek found them?

He couldn't let that happen.

He tried to steady his breathing as they got closer to the bottom. His eyes stayed glued to his feet as he planned his next move.

He needed to grab the machine gun or die trying.

He took the second to last step off the stairs, preparing to attack with all the strength he had left-

"Craig?"

Craig's stormy blue eyes widened at the sound of his name, his heart stopping in his chest.

He lifted his head to meet wide, worried green eyes and wild blonde hair. Tweek stood against a brick wall, his arms hanging uncomfortably high above his head by chains.

"Tweek!"

Craig ignored the girls yells to stop as he ran towards his boyfriend, gently running his hands under Tweek's eyes to catch his tears.

His face was completely black and purple with bruises, his wrists blood red.

"I thought you were dead."

Tweek sobbed,

"They said you were.."

He couldn't even finish his sentence through his relieved tears.

"Hey..."

Craig smiles brightly, even under these terrible circumstances he couldn't help the joy that washed over him at see Tweek alive.

"I'm right here."

He kissed Tweek's busted lip,

"We're okay..."

Craig felt something hard hit the back of his head, the room instantly spinning around him. He fell to his hands and knees in attempt to fight the sleep overcoming him.

His name echoed somewhere in the background before he was hit again and everything went dark.


	12. Pain, Suffering, & Bebe?

Kenny had been staring at this dust filled floor for so long if he wanted to he could've counted each particle, maybe even twice. The drugs had worn off hours ago and his shoulders were starting to scream in pain.

Not the kind of pain Craig was in, but still pain in the end.

Craig had screamed and jangled his chains for hours to make himself as much of a burden as possible before a girl Kenny didn't recognize stomped down the stairs and dug a knife threw his hand to keep it still against the wall.

Safe to say, this new group they had stumbled across was not afraid to punish them.

On the bright side, they weren't going to kill them. At least, not yet. They had already came down the stairs and fed them grits that didn't really taste that bad. Which meant starvation was not their goal.

The door upstairs creaked loudly causing both of the boys next to him to lift their heads. It was more than just one person going down the old stairs, one of them struggling to find their feet.

"Clyde!"

Tweek yelled the name worriedly causing Kenny to glance up at the state their friend was in.

He had a bloody white gauze wrapped around his leg, blood staining his bluejeans, and a giant bruising knot in his forehead.

The red headed girl, who's hand dug into his shoulder, slowly led him to the chains across from Kenny, letting him take his time with his new injury.

"Are the others okay?"

Craig asked without a second thought. Kenny scoffed in his head. Yeah, bright idea Craig. Make sure Red knew there were more of us, that way she didn't have to interrogate you for the information.

Clyde didn't answer, in fact, he stared at the ground with wide eyes and an agape mouth. He looked almost... traumatized...

"Clyde!"

Craig yelled his name a little louder, causing the brunette to jump and Red to glare in his direction.

"Hands up."

Clyde did as he was told and his wrists were chained to the wall just like the other three.

"B-Butters..."

Kenny's head jerked up at the name Clyde attempted to stutter out.

"What about Butters?"

His chains clanked as he struggled to keep Clyde's attention. The boy seemed to be going in and out of consciousness, not a good sign for what might've happened to Butters.

"Butters was with me... I-I don't know where they took him. I couldn't see anything."

"Shut up."

Red warned in a stern tone as she moved to the end of the room and grabbed a bucket, dragging it over and setting Clyde's hurt leg over it with ungentle hands. He hissed at the contact, his mouth quickly snapping shut. She looked around at the four boys with hatred in her eyes.

"If I have to come down here to shut you up again, I will."

Her words were threatening but it only made Kenny growl in anger. Without another word she stomped up the stairs. As soon as the door's lock clicked Kenny was yelling at the boy across from him.

"What do you think they did with him Clyde?!"

"I-I don't know. He didn't resist. His stitches, th-they opened in the water. He passed out and I didn't know how to help him. I-"

Clyde's voice became panicked as the realization of what they might've done with the smaller boy crossed his mind.

"I tried to carry him when I ran... I-I tried to help him but they shot me..."

Kenny looked down at his leg, blood still dripping down his pants leg and into the bucket below.

"They took me somewhere and shoved a needle in my arm... I don't.. I don't remember anything after that."

"THINK!"

The command came out much louder and much more aggressive than he meant for it to be. The words echoing off the walls of the small dungeon like room.

"I-I-"

"Kenny."

Tweek intruded,

"Yelling isn't going to make him suddenly remember-"

"Shut up, Tweek!"

He growled in the blonde's direction before turning back to Clyde's terrified expression.

"Did they kill him?!"

The door upstairs slammed open forcefully,

"Now you've done it."

Craig sighed tiredly.

The same girl who had come down to shove the knife threw Craig's hand stopped in front of Kenny. Her short, ginger hair was curled around a bloody surgical mask covering her plump lips. Her hands, along with the pair of pliers they held, where drenched in the blood of the unknown.

"You just interrupted a very important surgery."

Kenny attempted to hide his confusion, instead trying to intimidate the small girl with a dangerous glare. She sighed,

"If you don't learn how to be quiet..."

She stepped towards him, taking his cheeks between her fingers and smushing them together to open his mouth.

"We're going to have to teach you how."

Her voice was gentle and smooth, as if she was talking to a baby rather than a prisoner.

"Stop!" Craig pleaded in a respectful tone.

"He'll be quiet. I won't let him talk- just-"

The dark haired man was interrupted as she yanked the knife from his hand causing him to yelp in agony.

"Hey!"

Kenny and Tweek's yells were ignored as she pulled a long strand of gauze from her pocket and wrapped it around his hand. He bit his lip as she finished it off with a tight knot, an unwelcome whimper escaping his throat.

"Now, shut up or you'll be next."

She walked back to Kenny, a calm expression on her face as she once again forced his jaw open.

She shoved the large pliers into his mouth, gripping onto one of his molars and yanking the long tooth out with one quick and terrifying pull. He screamed in pain as blood spewed from his fresh wound and into, who he could only guess was their doctor's, face. She didn't seem fazed one bit by the blood bath.

"Now. Stay quiet or you'll loose a couple more. Got it?"

He nodded his head quickly, whimpers of pain involuntarily coming from his lips. She turned to leave.

"When I find a way out of here I'm going to kill you."

Craig growled causing the girl to laugh quietly.

"You'll be lucky if you live through the month."

~

Wendy held Tricia's hand as they walked through the forest trail for the fifth time that day.

"We've already walked past that bolder like seven times!"

Tricia spoke up in an annoyed tone. Her face was riddled with makeup that she had found at the house they had broken into the night before.

They were suppose to meet Craig and the others back at the bridge before sundown today. At least that's what Wendy had told her in her panic the night before. The sun was going to go down in just a couple hours or so and they were no closer than they had been that morning.

Stan sighed as he stopped, sitting down on the big rock and resting his head in his hands.

"I'm starving. Do we have any food left?"

"I thought I was leading one child but it turns out I'm leading two."

Wendy joked as she slung her pack from her shoulders, reaching in and pulling out the last of their food supply.

"That's it?"

Tricia's stomach growled at the sight of their last can of tomato soup.

"Everything else got destroyed in the water, remember?"

She opened it up, tipping it into her mouth to taste the cold soup. She shuddered at the pastey taste before passing it to Tricia.

"Okay, the sun's going to go down in a couple hours and we can't be stuck in the forest."

"Better the forest than the zombie infested city."

Stan scoffed.

"You won't be saying that when a bear smells our soup and we leave you behind as a distraction."

She laughed playfully, sitting down right next him. Wendy's hips slid to touch Stan's and he quickly stood up.

After what had almost happened last night he couldn't risk getting close to her again. He just needed to find Kyle and the others and they needed to get to that bunker.

Eyes on the prize. He reminded himself with a shake of his head.

Wendy's smile fell but she quickly regained herself in front of Tricia.

"What if we go off trail? I don't remember following a path to the cabin."

She spoke up and Stan nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you're right."

Tricia handed him the half empty can and he took a large gulp. He wiped his mouth before meeting Wendy's eyes again.

"We should find the water and follow it upstream."

They were interrupted by a crack of a branch breaking and Stan slid the food into Tricia's hand, pushing her behind himself as Wendy readied her weapon.

"An animal?"

He asked,

"Too heavy."

Wendy whispered back, the handle of her katana tight in her hand.

Another heavy foot step from the woods and then another until a pair of black boots and a bright red jacket were exiting the clearing.

A thick girl with fizzy, golden curls pulled into a giant bun at the top of her head held her hands up in surrender. Her bow and arrow was thrown to the ground in front of Stan and Wendy without question.

Lavender eyes widened in surprise.

"Hey Wendy. I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

Wendy lowered her katana as her lavender eyes met hazel green.

"Oh my god. Bebe?"

She had grown substantially taller, Wendy having to look up to meet her eyes.

" But.. I thought I saw you die..."

"Red saved me."

Without another word Wendy was sighing in relief and dropping her weapon to consume Bebe in a hug so tight she could hardly breath.

Tricia stayed hidden behind Stan, who's trust was not as easily won over.

Bebe swung Wendy on her heels before pushing a long strand of black hair behind her ear. Her smile was so wide it must've hurt.

The blonde finally looked over to the other two, her smile fading when her eyes fell on the only boy of their group.

"Stan."

"Bebe."

She smirked as she looked down at the can of soup that had been dropped to the ground by the youngest.

"I bet you're tired of old soup."

She joked lightheartedly, her voice soft as not to scare the girl. She took a step closer to were Tricia was hidden,

"How would you like some nicely cooked deer chili and a bowl of something other than tomato paste?"

Tricia bit her lip before nodding, slowly making her way out from behind the taller boy. Stan lowered a hand, stopping her in her tracks.

"Thanks, but we're actually in the middle of trying to find someone."

He looked from Bebe, who's annoyance wasn't very well hidden, to Wendy.

"We wouldn't want them to leave us behind."

"Oh come on, the suns about to go down and you don't want to be out here when the big guys arrive."

Bebe argued.

"The big guys?"

Tricia asked,

"Screechers."

Wendy answered for her.

"Ah, screechers. I like that."

Bebe giggled in the dark haired girls direction.

"There are Screechers out here?"

"Unfortunately."

Wendy begged Stan with wide eyes. He wanted to say no. They had to find Kyle and the others. What if they were already at the bridge waiting for them?

Tricia's small hand slipped into his, causing him to look down and meet her pleading dark eyes. The same color as Craig's.

"Just for tonight? Please? I'm so hungry..."

He sighed.

No one here was on his side.

"Fine."

He met Bebe's green eyes but he couldn't help the pit he felt open up in his stomach.

Something wasn't right about her.

"Just for dinner."


	13. We’re Saved?

Thanks for all the comments and hearts! This is my first fanfic and after a while I was starting to get discouraged but the few of you who enjoy it so much make me happy to keep writing! I hope I don't disappoint!

~

Kyle paced back and forth across the bridge while his younger brother and Cartman watched him with bored expressions. They just wanted to find somewhere to sleep before the sun went down but Kyle had already made it clear that was the last option on his mind.

"They're not coming Kyle."

Ike stated in a sad tone, "at least not tonight."

The disappointed look on his face didn't go unnoticed by the bigger man sitting next to him.

Kyle, on the other hand, continued to ignore them.

They would be here. Any minute now Stan and Kenny and Butters and the rest of the group would walk out of the woods to his right and onto the bridge, prepared to find their way out the forest and back on track.

Cartman's eyes moved back and forth between the worried siblings, an annoyed yet sympathetic sigh leaving his lips.

"Kyle."

Cartman attempted to get the scrawny boy's attention with no avail.

"Can we please find some shelter before we die of unnatural causes?"

"No."

Was all the red head had to say, earning a groan from both the boys.

"Something must've happened."

He whispered anxiously to himself as he paced one way.

"They should be here by now."

He rubbed his hands together in attempt to calm himself as he turned and walked the other way. Cartman's irritation was interrupted by Ike's elbow shoving him to get his attention. When Cartman turned to him with a yell on the tip of his tongue the shorter boy nodded his head in Kyle's direction. Cartman's face scrunched in distaste. Why did he have to be the one to comfort Kyle?

"You're his brother."

Cartman argued in a hushed tone. Ike gave a death glare that left no room for excuses.

"Fine."

He groaned as he stepped towards the man worrying his lip so hard blood was starting to surface.

"Kyle, come on."

He dropped a gentle hand on the redhead's shoulder, forcing him to stop his pacing in its tracks.

"So they're not coming tonight. That doesn't mean something bad happened."

Kyle ignored Cartman's effort to soothe him, instead looking back and forth at either side of the water for bodies.

"You know Stan and the others."

He sighed,

"As much as I hate to say it, they're more capable of taking care of themselves than any of us three."

This statement got Kyle's attention and emerald eyes finally met a soft brown and blue. Had Eric Cartman just admitted that someone else was better than him?

"I'm sure they just got lost or held up, but they wouldn't want us to wait out here all night in the middle of this dark, unsafe, nightmare of a forest. We can come back tomorrow and I'm sure they'll be here."

Cartman's eyes widened in horror as Kyle began to tear up. He went over exactly what he had just said out loud in his head over and over, trying to find what he had said to trigger the shorter man.

"I promised I would look for him."

Kyle suddenly spoke up, his voice cracking. He looked over to his younger brother who watched him with an intense stare and then at Cartman who did the same. He sighed, turning away from both of them and quickly wiping his eyes.

"I can't just leave him..."

He crossed his arms with a shake of his head.

"What if something bad happened?"

Cartman's jaw tightened, anger filling his chest unwillingly. How dare Stan put that on Kyle. He knew the risks of going down the river and he knew how this fucked up world worked. If you couldn't find a comrade then they were dead, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. They could be stuck here forever looking for a dead body or a zombie just so Kyle could be a little more traumatized.

Cartman swallowed his frustration, his grip on Kyle's shoulder tightened just enough for him to feel it.

"Stan would want you to be inside with some food in your stomach and a good nights sleep before you go rushing to play hero."

Kyle's jaw tightened, his eyes following the river as he contemplated Cartman's words.

"...Okay."

He gave in tiredly.

"You're right... Besides,"

He turned to meet Ike's dark eyes,

"I've got someone else I need to care of."

Cartman smiled softly, proud of himself for talking the stubborn redhead out of his ridiculous plan of searching all night so easily.

"Lead the way."

Kyle's grip on Ike's hand tightened as his little brother almost tripped over a large tree root. Inhuman screeches followed close behind them. Cartman was right on their heels, breathing heavily and struggling to keep up with the two long legged, inshape siblings.

He made the mistake of turning around, his eyes going wide as they met soulless blacks. A hoard of grey skin and monstrous teeth was right behind them, reaching for the slowest of the small group. A loud scream of fear left his lips and he sped up instinctively, his heart pounding in his ears.

"Cartman!"

Kyle yelled out worriedly for the man without a weapon.

"Keep going!"

"I'm... trying!..."

Cartman huffed. He felt like he was going to be sick if he didn't stop for a breather.

"Help!"

Kyle yelled as loud as he could. They were already in worst case scenario, it didn't matter if more zombies came. They were already doomed without any kind of weapon. So he did the only thing he could and screamed as loud as he could in hopes someone from their group was within hearing distance.

"Help us! Please! Stan! Kenny!"

Ike didn't say anything as he ran, trying to conserve his energy to keep going for as long as he could.

Cartman's legs shook, threatening to collapse from underneath him.

"Don't stop!"

The brunette was drenched top to bottom with sweat, his breath getting continuously harder to catch.

"Help us!"

Kyle screamed so loud it scratched his throat causing his voice to crack.

"Anyone!"

Cartman suddenly tripped, a loud agonizing scream leaving his lips as he fell to the group with a loud crack and thud.

Kyle stopped in his tracks. Ike ripped his hand away, continuing to run without them. Kyle ran back to Cartman who was only a few steps behind him.

"My ankle!"

The redhead looked down to see Cartman's foot stuck under a tree root sticking out of the ground. His bone poked through the skin on the back of his ankle, not yet breaking the flesh. The injured man turned to the screechers only a few feet away, his jaw clenching and tears welling in his eyes.

He didn't want to die but... he didn't want Kyle to die more.

"Go."

He spoke in a stern, broken voice. Kyles brows knitted, his jaw dropping slightly.

"I can't run. I don't want you to die for nothing."

"I'm not dying for nothing."

He grabbed Cartman's leg and pulled his foot out with a rough yank, a pitchy scream leaving his lips.

Kyle grunted as he pulled the man over his shoulder, helping him to his feet as they started to run.

Cartman winced at every step but tried his hardest to keep up. It was obvious they weren't as fast as before.

"Help!"

Kyle continued to scream. The pain in Cartman's ankle was unbearable, he couldn't do this.

"You have to let me go-"

"No!"

"Kyle, plea-"

Before Cartman could beg the man anymore there was a gun shot.

Then another.

And another.

Kyle stopped suddenly as he turned to face the direction of the sound. Screechers dropped left and right behind them.

He looked around frantically for the source, his eyes falling on an unusually clean Stan and Wendy shooting from the top of a hill to their far right. A familiar looking blonde stood beside them confidently, her bow and arrow drawn but not shooting as well as Ike who watched the scene with wide eyes.

A relieved smile pulled at his lips as the last of the large hoard was put down with ease.

He dropped to his knees tiredly, the adrenaline in his veins falling with him. Cartman sighed in relief, a small hiss escaping his lips as his ankle relaxed on the soft dirt below them.

Stan and Wendy slid down the hill and quickly made their way to the pair to help them back to the sanctuary before more screechers showed up.

As soon as Stan was close enough Kyle got to his feet and ran to him, slamming their bodies together as he wrapped himself around the dark headed man. His fingers curled into black hair and his hand squeezed his dirty brown jacket that always smelled like liquor. Stan wasted no time hugging him back with a protective grip.

"I'm so happy you're safe."

Stan spoke into his ear intimately, his vision covered by oily curls that felt so familiar. He kissed his ear and his hair, appreciating his boyfriend like it was the first time he'd seen him in months. He was almost too late. If Ike hadn't found the sanctuary as soon as he did Kyle would have been toast.

He couldn't live without him.

A thick wooden gate sporting threatening spikes at the top stood at least seven feet tall around the so called sanctuary. Bebe glanced back at the large group of boys she was about to let in, a sour expression on her face. She sighed as her eyes fell on Wendy before struggling to lift the large piece of wood holding the door closed. Kyle's eyes widened as they fell on the village surrounded by the protective gate. At least seven cabins were built, along with a couple of sheds and a lake in the middle. They stepped through the threshold with tired legs and grateful expressions as they examined their new surroundings. Cartman's weight on Kyle and Stan's shoulders was suddenly lifted as two unhappy looking girls forcefully took him without question. Kyle looked over to Stan who held an expression that was just as confused as his own. The girls started towards a cabin on the left and Kyle followed close behind. One of the girls with blonde hair noticed this and let go, turning around to stop him with a hand to his chest.

"The infirmary is closed to anyone not injured. You can see him when he's out."

With that she turned back and opened the door for the other girl, the sound of loud, unrecognizable, music playing through the opening.

"I'll find you when I get out."

Kyle nodded at the bigger man's statement and the door slammed on him.

"What do you think that's about?"

Stan asked, skepticism obvious in his voice.

"I don't know... it's weird, I guess."

"This whole place is weird."

Stan scoffed.

"It's a women's sanctuary and Bebe seems to be the one calling the shots at the moment."

He turned to Kyle who was staring at the door Cartman had just gone through with a worried expression. His dark brows knitted as he looked between the two.

"You okay?"

"What?"

Kyle quickly met his boyfriend's eyes as he asked the question. Stan lifted a hand and pushed red curls away from green eyes, a sigh leaving his lips.

"They have a water pump here so you can take a shower, why don't i show you where it's at and then get you some food."

Kyle smiles weakly and Stan couldn't help but do the same. He wrapped an arm around him and lead the way.

"I spy something red."

Kenny started in a monotone voice, his eyes half lidded from exhaustion. He refused to sleep, he knew the second he closed his eyes one of those girls would come down here and do something terrible to him.

"Clyde's blood."

Craig answered boredly. The pain in his hand had subsided and the pins and needles in his arms had finally gone numb. Now all they had left to deal with was this terrible boredom and the horror of what was to come once the girls decided what to do to them. That was, if they didn't already have a plan.

"You can't do the same thing twice."

Tweek interjected, his tone just as dull as the others. Clyde had fallen asleep hours ago, probably worn out from the amount of blood he had lost.

Kenny suddenly groaned, loud and annoyed.

"I'm so sick of this! If they're going to kill us they should just hurry up and do it!"

As if on cue the door upstairs opened and heavy foot steps made their way down.

Brown eyes met blue as Red stepped down the last stair and looked over the chained boys, Kenny being the one to grab her attention.

"What're you looking at, ugly?"

He asked in a rude tone, she only smiled wickedly. It was a lie, she wasn't ugly. In fact she was quite beautiful; her body skinny yet muscular and her hair perfectly messy. A necklace around her fragile throat caught his attention and he followed it down to her tight shirt, the outline of what he hoped was a key just barely visible.

"Today's your lucky day."

She pulled a long looking syringe from her back pocket, a dangerous expression on her face as she walked towards him.

"What is that?"

His voice was unsteady as he asked, his eyes darting to the other's watching in horror. He didn't actually mean what he said!

"Stay still or this is going to hurt more than it needs to."

He didn't. He kicked and screamed and jangled the chains holding his arms above his head to no avail. The long needle was shoved slowly into the skin between his neck and shoulder. He tensed up, his face scrunching in pain as she did so. Warm liquid stung as it was emptied into his blood stream.

"What is that?"

Tweek asked in a worried tone.

"What're you doing to him?"

She didn't answer, only glaring at the blonde as she pulled the now empty syringe out. Kenny's toes started to tingle and his jaw became slack.

He wouldn't lie, he'd taken a lot of drugs before but nothing had ever felt like this. Nothing had ever kicked in this fast.

His whole body was going numb, pins and needles shooting through each limb.

"Kenny?"

Craig's voice was distressed as he called out the shorter man's name. Kenny's already lidded eyes were closing more and more as he attempted to keep them open and focused. Craig's brows knitted as he watched Kenny go from kicking and screaming to the most relaxed he'd ever seen him. His eyelids struggled to stay open, his pupils blown wide and crossing.

"What did you do to him?"

He asked in a stern tone, his voice as deep and threatening as he could make it. Although, he knew it meant nothing when his body was chained up like this. She pulled a key from her back pocket and stood on her toes as she unlocked the chains around Kenny's wrists. As soon as he was free his body fell limply to the ground. His wrists were blood red and raw, it was painful to even look at. Kenny couldn't feel it though, he couldn't feel anything.

She gripped his arm and slung him over her shoulder, his feet dragging as she struggled towards the stairs.

"Hey!"

Tweek called after them.

"Where are you taking him?!"

Kenny's motor functions were completely off. He couldn't think straight, he couldn't find his feet, he couldn't even feel the girl making her best effort to carry him up the stairs. He somehow felt like he was floating and falling at the same time. Familiar voices echoed in the background but he couldn't make out who it was or what they were saying.

A door creaked open loudly and suddenly he was blinded by light. Music was now playing in the background but another closed door kept it at too low of a volume to recognize.

They turned to the left and he was faced with a terrifying, large, metal door.

"In you go."

She opened the door and even through his incompetent state he couldn't help the drugged gasp that left his chapped lips as cold air slapped him in the face. Although it was blurry he could make out a body hanging by hooks in the middle of what looked like an otherwise empty freezer. Not a whole body, just a frozen torso with one arm. The left arm, the head, and the waist down either torn or cut ungracefully. He felt his stomach turn as she took a step into the room. They were going to freeze him before they killed him.

He reached for her with the last of his strength as she attempted to drop him to the floor, his hand wrapping around her throat as tight as it could. Her expression was surprised, her eyes wide in panic at the realization that he was stronger than her even with the drug in his system. He concentrated as hard as he could on staying on his feet and squeezing her throat. She tried to pull his hands away but he refused to let up on his death grip, his jaw clenching involuntarily.

Without warning he was pushed by another girl, he grabbed the necklace around her neck as he fell to the floor and went completely numb. The freezer door closed with a loud slam before his vision finally gave away and he passed out.


End file.
